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Unsubscribe Your Way to a Better 2018!

By
Real Estate Agent with Progressive Realty (Boise Idaho) www.Progressive-Realty.info DB-17066

Many people make New Year's Resolutions of what they are going to do for the new year.  Here are a few of mine:

  • Spend more time with Friends and Family in real life, verses liking them on Facebook;
  • Eat and drink more health consciously;
  • Loose 20 pounds by June;
  • Ski, hunt and fish more;
  • etc.

However, one thing I am already implementing is "perfecting the un-subscribe"!

To live a happy and healthy life, we need to remove the negative toxins that impact our lives and replace them with things that stimulate our dopamine levels (pleasure sensors).  Make a conscious effort to "un-subscribe" from things that don't add value to your life!  Here are a few quick things you can do that will have a quick impact:

  1. As you begin getting emails this new year, feel free to click "unsubscribe".  If you don't get a direct benefit from someone that pushes you onto their email spam list, unsubscribe.  You can also search by their email address and delete all the crap from last year too!
  2. Unfollow people on Facebook, Twitter, etc.  At least on Facebook, you can "unfollow" them without removing them.  This way, you don't have to see all their drama unless it brings value to you. 
  3. Quit going to meetings for the sake of going to meetings.  If you don't get enough value back out for the time to get there and being being there, do something else.  If you have to be there, at least sit in the back corner and work on your laptop. (grin).  Is it better for your business to go to fun local real estate meeting surrounded by your peers who won't send you referrals or to go to a Chamber of Commerce lunch with people trying to grow their business and exposure in the community?
  4. Re-allocate time to do more of what you like to do instead of just doing things.  For example, if you volunteer for a charity, volunteer using your passion for that charity (i.e. instead of working at a fund raising event, maybe volunteer at a ski or summer camp.
  5. Learn to do a better job of mixing business and pleasure.  If you enjoy going out to eat/drink, never do it alone.  Invite a business prospect so you can possibly grow your business and worse case scenerio, you can write it off as a business expense.
  6. Quit taking your continuing education classes locally!  If you are a Realtor, odds are no other local residential Realtor is going to refer business to you.  Therefore, look where the most people are moving into your area from and start taking your continuing education and designation courses there!  A second option is to take them where you want to go for vacation.  Your CPA can probably show you how to write off all or part of the trip.
  7. Unsubscribe to DRAMA.  Drama is a ravenous beast, the best way to defeat it is to starve it to death.  Don't enable it - ignore it and move on.

 

Unsubscribe Successful

 

Happy New Year and wishing you a very successful and prosperous 2018 from Jim Paulson, Owner/Broker of Progressive Realty Corporation in Boise, Idaho!

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Be the little red hen in your real estate market place, free up the time you spent doing what everyone else did liking this, tacking on emojis and create space for more stuff you want to do. Or have not because you did not use your time wisely. There is an hour glass with sand sifting through it Dorothy, I mean Jim Paulson and you are so right about continuing education away from the local species of real estate agents and brokers. New ideas, better resources come from larger pools of professionals. 

Jan 03, 2018 02:58 AM
Jim Paulson

Andrew Mooers I love going to conventions and meetings for CRS, NAR, ABR, etc outside my area.  It helps me do a better job of dealing with my relocation clients when I know how real estate is handled in other parts of our country.  They can come with different expectations.  I also love teaching real estate classes in other states for NAR.  I hope to do a lot more of that in 2018 and beyond.

Jan 03, 2018 08:37 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Yes, I agree totally with the need to unsubcribe - to unnecessary emails, unproductive outings, and the like. I started off my morning by "unsubscribing" some advertisement emails. Have a great 2018!

Jan 03, 2018 03:37 AM
Jim Paulson

I am already at 7 unsubscribes from just one account this AM.  I don't bother with ones that are already in my junk folder unless they are excessive.

Jan 03, 2018 08:54 AM
Margaret Mitchell
Coldwell Banker Yorke Realty - York, ME
Seacoast Maine & NH Real Estate

I love the unsubscribe idea and have already started! Love the other suggestions too.  Happy New Year.

Jan 03, 2018 03:39 AM
Brenda J. Andrew
ULTIMA REAL ESTATE - Willis, TX
Professional Realtor in Conroe/Willis, TX

This is really good Jim Paulson .  There are so many things on your list that are also on mine.  I am no longer going to be going to meetings just to make the appearance, and I love the idea of taking an CE in another area.  Usually every year I focus on business goals instead of personal ones like spending more time with friends and family.  I really do need to disconnect from this business and not let it consume my life.  This was a very enjoyable read, one of the best.  Happy New Year!

Jan 03, 2018 03:58 AM
Jim Paulson

Thank you Brenda J. Andrew I remember attending meetings in the corporate world and trying to figure out the per hour rate of the managers that were falling asleep at the meeting to determine the opportunity cost of the amazing.  If they person holding the meeting had to pay the attendees in cash for the time they spent there on behalf of the meeting, they would have been a lot shorter and less frequent.  


Happy New Year!

Jan 03, 2018 08:58 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

Your last one is a great suggestion.... drama perpetuates more drama.  Unless it is on TV forget about it!

Jan 03, 2018 05:05 AM
Sandra Early
World Impact Real Estate - Destin, FL
Sandra Sells Castles In Paradise

Fantastic Post!!! I only made "1" New Years resolution and posted it to all my FB friends...NO DRAMA 2018 :) and BTW...I plan on unfollowing everyone with a negative attitude this year... :)

Jan 03, 2018 06:51 AM
Jim Paulson

Sandra Early I was amazed at some of the crap some of my friends posted during the election last year.  I kept it for while to see alternate points of view, but unfollowed many as a result. If they posted original thoughts, I kept them, but many just reposted MEME"s without even commenting on why they felt that way or how to fix something.  (BTW, crap is defined by someone's belief's different than my own - LOL).

Jan 03, 2018 09:02 AM
Anonymous
Jovita Kafotn

It is amazing how that inbox can fill up so quick and being afraid to delete or unsubscribe thinking that we may need that email later, but we never go back, it happens to me a lot.
Good point!

Jan 03, 2018 07:06 AM
#21
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Bavo, Jim. Some days I feel like all I do is unsubscribe and block emails, but I'm happy to do it. If there is no value to the contact, bye bye.

Jan 03, 2018 07:20 AM
Jim Paulson
Progressive Realty (Boise Idaho) www.Progressive-Realty.info - Boise, ID
Owner,Broker

I know many lenders and each of them tries to send me their corporate update emails that may have nothing to do with our local market.  I used to get the same email from a number of lenders at the same company.  I don't need to know when Arby's releases a new sandwhich. I don't need to see on Facebook that people are spending their hard earned money on third party generic posts with inspriational quotes they haven't even read themselves.  

Jan 03, 2018 09:07 AM
Francine Viola
Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA - Olympia, WA
REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs

This is a great mindset and it also makes me more conscious of the marketing I'm sending out - it really needs to be of value.  Wonderful post!

Jan 03, 2018 09:30 AM
Jim Paulson

Thanks.  If you send them something of value, they will look forward to your next piece as well.

Jan 03, 2018 09:43 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Jim this is some of the best darn advice around!  Especially the last one - dump the drama folks - and fast!!

Jan 03, 2018 10:28 AM
Jim Paulson

I didn't even like Drama in school.  All those students appear to have learned to well to be fake humans. :(

Jan 03, 2018 09:44 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

NO drama....

Jan 03, 2018 11:30 AM
Melissa Spittel
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Westminster, MD
"Achieving Results Together "

What a great post for the beginning of a new year! It's amazing how much precious time can be better spent on other things by unsubscribing to anythng that isn't beneficial. Drama should be #1!!

Jan 03, 2018 01:23 PM
Michael Eisenberg
eXp Realty - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham Real Estate Guy

Thanks Jim, that is some great advise for starting out the new year - let's get rid of some of the old junk.

 

Jan 03, 2018 01:28 PM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Been doing this for the last year, also use a round up service so a bunch of circular emails go there rather than to my inbox, then I can peruse what interests me on my time. It is all very freeing and energizing as well.

Jan 03, 2018 05:02 PM
Jim Paulson

I wonder if we can forward it to our competitors? (grin)

Jan 03, 2018 09:46 PM
Jenna Dixon
Momentum Real Estate Group LLC - Marietta, GA
55 & Over | New Constructions | Horse Farms

Unscribe and unfollow have been my major actions moving into 2018. Side benefit: since you don't know about the sale, you aren't tempted to shop for things you don't need anyway.

Happy 2018!

Jan 03, 2018 07:47 PM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

Unsubscribe to drama--good advice for my teenager!  Seems I am constantly unsubcribing to unwanted emails ... good for you to put the goals in writing so you can remind yourself of the progress!

Jan 04, 2018 06:57 AM
Jim Paulson

Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR great point about having your goals in writing.  I started counting calories for the first time in my life this year.  It made me self conscious of eating two slices of pizza instead of just devouring 4 or 5.

Jan 04, 2018 10:46 AM
Lorrie Semler, REALTOR® in the Dallas area. Call/text 972-416-3417
HomeSmart Stars - Addison, TX
Real Service. Real Results. Real Estate

Here's another suggestion: if you get a spam phone call, block the number so you won't be bothered the next time they try to reach you.

Jan 04, 2018 08:10 AM
Jim Paulson

Lorrie Semler, REALTOR® in the Dallas area. Call/text 972-416-3417 Spam calls are the worst.  My retirement strategy was to save all them money I got from people that don't abide by the Do Not Call Registry or the Robo Calls.  Not sure what I am doing wrong because I am getting all the calls, but none of the fine money.  My phone is giving me alerts now on incoming calls that say something like "Warning - high volume caller".  Love that as I will not answer those.

Jan 04, 2018 10:49 AM
Corey Martin
Martin Presence Group - Ruston, LA
Real Estate and Management Solutions
Great points all! I especially like the idea of writing of lunch with a vendor or business prospect off as a business expense. Thanks for sharing!
Jan 04, 2018 03:24 PM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Jim,

Good points. Sometimes, it is important to know what not to do as well.

Jan 09, 2018 06:51 PM