If you made a list of “to do” items right now in your business, how would you feel? Confident that you had a handle on most of them? Completely overwhelmed by the deficiencies in your business? Or completely indifferent because you weren’t planning on tackling them anyway?
The agents I begin to work with are often in that second category – completely overwhelmed by their “to do” list which consists of not only the things they have to get done for their clients, but also all the systems and tools they want to develop to streamline their business. Everything from a buyer package, seller package, bio, website, materials for a listing presentation, checklists, templates and reports for following up with potential clients, templates and systems for following up with past clients, oh! and let’s not forget a completely organized office with an up-to-date filing system!
The challenge is if you let the list overwhelm yourself to the point where nothing ever gets done, then you will never be on the other end of project completion, knowing the joy of having a pipeline of business where everyone is followed up with on a regular basis or having a system for taking a listing where you just go down a list and check things off.
The goal is to prioritize to determine the things that are on your list that will have the biggest impact once completed or provide you the most relief. What is it for you? Take a moment and write down the top thee “to do” tasks that are weighing on your mind right now. Remember, these are not transactional or client-based items but systems, tools, or other business “to dos” that are things you can use over and over in your business.
Do you have your three? Excellent! Now go through each of your three and think of the benefits that completing each will bring to your business. Take a look at the following example:
Example To Do #1 Benefits: Finish Listing System
- Peace of mind that I am not forgetting a step when I take a listing.
- Seeing the holes in my system and fixing them to make me a better listing agent.
- More listings means more control of my time.
Example To Do #2 Benefits: Finish Listing Presentation Props
- Confidence in presenting what I do for a listing at the listing presentation.
- Telling a seller what I do to list their home will make sure that I follow my own system.
Example To Do #3 Benefits: Clean My Office
- Peace of mind when I open the door.
- Will allow me to confidently have clients in my office.
- I will actually come into my office.
- Will allow me to concentrate.
If this were me, I would probably clean my office first, tackle “finish listing system” second and then take on the listing presentation props project. Why? If I clean my office I will have a clear head to concentrate on my listing system project. Furthermore, most agents are visual. Having a messy office is probably creating more havoc than this agent realizes. Once the agent finishes the office, that feeling of accomplishment will be there every time he or she opens the office door, motivating that agent to continue to work on other projects.
Think about your three most pressing “to do” items that are driving you nuts right now. Just three. Once you get those three done then you can choose another three, but if you have too many big tasks on your to do list, it can weigh you down so much that you simply cannot make forward progress.
I am excited to hear what is on your to do list! Let me know in the comments below!
Denise, Thank you for sharing your “To Do” blog piece. Such great reminders. I completely agree, when my desk is clear and my office is in order, my mind works so much better. At the end of each day, I make a point of filing every piece of paper on my desk. Either into the respective client files or the recycle bin, no indecision! Then I finalize my next days priorities and leave only that list behind, so it’s the only thing for me to focus next time I sit down.
Lisa – You’ve hit on a great point taken from the business playbook of some very successful list-makers! It’s a secret many don’t realize – agendas aren’t just for client meetings, they are a great way to set those achievable “step goals” for the next day. Writing down your goals for the next day is part of visualizing what you’re going to get done and when you plan for and visualize success in a task, you’re so much more likely to actually get it done. Thank you for this fantastic comment and sharing what works for you. – Denise