This past week was full of holiday related activities that typically come this time of year. We can get pulled so many different directions around Christmas that it's easy to get distracted from work duties. It's not even necessary that you be an entrepreneur or small business owner to have your attention be turned away from employee responsibilities.
An office receptionist can be caught up in decorating the lobby that they fail to answer a few important phone calls which cause the business they work for to lose out on revenue. A few construction workers may fail to arrive at the job site on time one morning due to a late night holiday celebration putting the entire project behind. Likewise, a small business owner could get lulled in to thinking they can relax during the weeks leading up to Christmas and New Years only to see their profits suffer because they failed to finish the year strong.
Staying on top of the real estate market and running a Brokerage during the holidays can be even more taxing than other times of the year. Between party invitations, family visits, shopping for gifts, putting up decorations, and finding time to stop for a moment and actually enjoy the holiday season before it's quickly over, time seems to speed along and each day is gone before you blink. Attempting to juggle all of the extra activities that come during the Winter and also run a successful business takes it's toll and can end up leaving you more frustrated and stressed than before the season began.
I took part in several planned non-business activities this week. I had them in my schedule months ago and knew this would be the week that my holiday season officially began. There were moments that I chose to completely shut off my phone and turn my attention totally away from real estate, business, and any other professional obligation. There were non-emergency emails I did not respond to, and voice mails and texts that were put on hold until I was done with the holiday themed task I set out to participate in.
So what did I learn in real estate this week? I learned that although being a small business owner means we aren't often afforded the luxury of unconditionally shutting down for extended periods of time, we can take scheduled time out of our business pursuits to appreciate special moments in life without it being a detriment. The world is not going to end if we responsibly relish occasions that are important to us. My real estate Brokerage did not fall apart because I chose to participate in my church's annual Angel Tree charity function one day and also took an entire separate afternoon to decorate our house with Christmas ornaments along side my girls all in the same week.
I have a handful of other events and activities also on my calendar for the weeks ahead all the while still fulfilling my scheduled teaching sessions with the Arizona Academy of Real Estate and ensuring timely and accurate closings for my agents and their transactions. No one knows how many birthdays, holidays, and special occasions they will be able to experience in this short life so make the best efforts to enjoy these moments. It's easy to maintain a proper work/life balance with proper scheduling and good business habits.
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