The real estate business doesn’t follow the typical 9-to-5 timeclock. Because of this, good time management skills are crucial to keep you on track with your clients and ward off burnout. To get the most out of your day, it can be helpful to use a time-blocking technique.

What Is Time Blocking?

Time blocking is the process of segmenting time and scheduling tasks throughout the day. Each block of time is dedicated to accomplishing the assigned task or group of tasks.

What Are the Benefits?

Instead of having a to-do list of things you’ll get to when you have a chance or falling into the trap of multitasking, you start each day with a specific plan—making it easier to focus and be more productive. Also, by prioritizing what needs to be done and what realistically can be achieved each day, you will weed out activities that waste your time or can be delegated.

How Do You Time Block?

Create a daily calendar with a time tracking app, Excel, an Outlook or Google calendar, or even a piece of paper. Add your prescheduled appointments and in between schedule blocks of time to check emails, do paperwork, make cold calls, or other business-related activities. Don’t forget to add in personal time and breaks.

It can also be helpful to incorporate personal goals and color code each block to make it easier to follow.

While you should do your best to stick to the schedule, don’t stress if an appointment goes over or an unexpected issue pops up that requires immediate attention. Instead, modify your schedule accordingly and reschedule any tasks you didn’t finish at the end of the day.