Time Management: A Focused Week

Time management has always been a serious requirement for me. Strike that. Time management has been a necessity for me. I have always had many items going at one time in my life, so much so that at times, it feels like I am working three full time jobs.

When I was going to school full time, I worked 30 hours or more a week. So I had school and work hours which routinely exceed 60 to 70 hours of dedicated time per week. After graduating, I worked two jobs on multiple occasions. Even now, I am a Loan Administrator for a Community Bank, Realtor, and Investor. It is not uncommon for me to five to six 14 hour days per week.

So, one of my early pitfalls which I finally solved was how to manage my time, but more important, how could I be sure I handled my required tasks throughout the week, and not lose opportunities or not provide top service to clients, employers, and partners.

The Focused Week

What is the focused week, and why is it important? The focused week requires that you organize your time by reviewing your weekly tasks and schedule of appointments (or other work), and dedicating a set number of hours to each required item for the week. It is also keeping focus on what is most important…your health and your personal life.

What I have done is found that I need to work on client care (extra items I do for my clients, such as personal handwritten notes, hosting house warming parties, and other prospecting time for my Realty business) for at least 6 hours a week. I also know I need to dedicate 10 hours for prospecting for investment opportunities. Forty hours are required of my current employment at the Bank. At least 12 hours are needed to allocate towards showings, open houses, and general client meetings.

I know that prospecting is most important, aside from my regular 40 hour work week. So I plot out that on my calendar, with Monday to Friday having work scheduled floating between 8am to 6pm, depending on the day. Monday morning, a new early meeting is scheduled as a priority for my investment business venture. Starts the week off well, so I place that on my calendar. The prospecting is next carved out in either 1 or 2 hour blocks on days I believe I will have ease of completing, generally early week such as Monday through Wednesday. Of course, to be sure I keep up with my home life, believe it or not, I plot out time I will be home, and times I will be home for which I will turn off my cell phone and ignore emails (you need time to relax, spend time with loved ones, and dedicate yourself to non-work activities. Home life and chores don’t end…ever!).

With my top items done and out of the way, I fill in secondary tasks. After everything on my task list is on my calendar, I am sure to write down my available times for appointments which come up as the week goes by, including showings, visits to prospective investments, and other spur of the moment items.

Don’t Forget Time for Travel, Breaks, and Sleep!

Imagine if you didn’t have to eat, never had to sleep, and never had to spend time in a restroom! Oh, how much one could accomplish! Imagine more if you could instantly teleport to wherever you need to be! 24 hours of the day, all available to you to spend on what is important…investing, connecting, networking, selling, buying, rehabbing, wholesaling, leasing, managing, etc. You could do so much!

Of course, that is not how life works. We need our time to ourselves. We need sleep (which is very important if you wish to be productive with your scheduled time and tasks), we need to eat, and getting where we are needed requires travel time. If you aren't accounting for these things, you will find that you end up cutting yourself short. IF you have one task ending at 5pm, and an appointment across town starting at 515pm, do you think that you will always be on time? Likely not. Build in additional buffer for time to travel, and expect that you may be hung up in traffic. Even with buffer time, you may be a few minutes late in rare occasions. However, 99% of the time, you will be on time, if not early.

Buffer time also allows an added feature. During this time, if travelling, try to fit in a quick call (one of my top tasks for client care). A quick 10 to 15 minute conversation while driving is a quick way to stay connected, and if you are early for the meeting, you don’t need to cut off a phone call.

And what about breaks to nab a bite to eat? The majority of time, I try to work out breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings. Why not? You can have a meeting with a client, prospect, or whoever, and also be sure you are eating regularly and in healthful style. A proper diet is needed to maintain your energy.

Don’t Find Time, MAKE time for Loved Ones

In an early investor life, or the first few years of a new business, getting caught up with everything needed sometimes causes stress among couples and families. Some will say, “Find time to spend with family”. I don’t say that. Ever. I always say I MAKE time for my loved ones. Every Friday evening, it is absolutely only for my wife. I don’t want to look at my calendar and tell my wife, friends or family, that, “I think I could fit you in for a 2 o’clock on Tuesday”. That is finding time. Knowing that my wife and I can have date nights, time at home, or time running errands is very important. It is not something I try to squeeze in, it is something which my other tasks have to be worked around.

Focused Month, Year, Life

There are monthly items which require our attention.  Mark these down, and keep track at all times.  Same things for annual events.  Vacations.  Birthdays, anniversaries, other special items.  Thinking ahead and remaining focused will allow you to sleep with ease knowing you have plenty of time to get your work done!  

Finally

No matter what you may think, sometimes things need to be pushed to another week.  If time isn't available, don't sacrifice or risk not getting other tasks done for something which may seem like it can't wait.  It can.  If it wasn't something you have as a priority, and it doesn't fit into your free time, don't force it.  Seek a solution which works for both you, and whatever needs to be done.  Remain calm.  Don't worry, but rather focus on solutions, not the problem.

Thanks again for reading!  Happy investing!