Balance in the Life of a Realtor®, Is there Such A Thing?

It's all in the scheduling.  My voicemail says my hours are 11am to 7pm and closed on Sundays.  It's normal here in Utah not to work Sundays and very dificult to schedule showings for that day.  So I always get at least one day off each week and unless I have an offer pending the phone is turned off at 7pm.  If an offer is pending I wait until 8pm then turn it off. 

I usually start work before 11am but can get transaction management done and some prospecting before people expect me to start answering the phone.  When I first did this I thought it might be a problem, but you know what?  Most of clients only work 8 or 9 hours a day and they understand that I have a life too.  It's never been a problem.

Sandy

You have a fulllllll schedule.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Sandy, so true.  Especially now with everyone in the crunch to beat the tax credit.

When my kids started attending school a few years ago, I tried to set my business up into a daily routine.  Now when they head off to school, I head off to the office.  I've hired a full-time buyer agent to do the night & weekend showings in return for a great commission split.  Sure makes life a whole lot simpler. 

The challenge is to find the "me" and "we" time...The "we" time might even be "Wii" time with the kids!

You are right, It is a major challenge at times for sure. When I got into this business, the trainers said that real estate a great job for those who want to work half day - which 12 hours of the day I choose to work would be up to me. Many times it is like that. I am still having the time of my life.

Hi Sandy, It sounds like you are doing pretty well with the balancing act. It is definitely a unique career choice :-)

Great post Sandy.  I can relate for sure.

-Paul

Sandy that's the one thing I really don't like about the business.  Your time isn't your time.

Balancing/juggling work, family and recreation has always been a major issue for busy real estate professionals. 

I remember a number of years ago my family was home, and I was working in a very busy market while trying to maintain and keep it all together!  I was making good money, but it seemed the more I made, the more depressed I got.  Then one day I came to the realization of why that was.  I had been programmed to think that money equated to success and happiness!  But I had come to find it wasn't necessarily so.  The missing component for me was balance! 

Sandy, what a timely post for me right now.  So often it's "feast or famine" but balance is so important to keep ones sanity.

Oompa, do everything in your power to maintain that balance.  This practically drove me into the ground during my mortgage days.

Hi Sandy, you have a great post here, and the comments are very beneficial for someone like me who is new to the business.  Thanks!

I don't know if there is a way to find true balance in a real estate career. When the phone is ringing off the hook, you have to work every lead that's coming your way. Because you don't know when the next lull will come. I'm just glad I married a man who appreciates a strong, driven woman, and supports me =) I've just never understood how women with young children are able to do this!

For me, this is what makes life interesting. I love my job!

I wouldn't change a thing Sandy, though I strive to find the balance in my family life just like so many of my professional peers!

Thank you for reminding me that I am not alone!