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Why Not NOW?

By
Education & Training with The Lones Group, Inc.

The Lones Group, Inc.

Why Not NOW?

The #1 enemy of most real estate brokers today is procrastination.

While most real estate brokers do not lack creativity, customer service or drive, many of them do lack the ability to get things done. This is not just specific to real estate brokers. Almost every professional in every field suffers from some level of procrastination.

I'm not referring to the type of procrastination where you put off a task until tomorrow that should be done today. I am talking about the kind of procrastination that limits your ability to start and complete critical business-building systems.

For example: Over the past couple of years in many markets, brokers have been experiencing strong shifts in inventory. Many have realized that they need to shift their focus or move their lead generation boat into waters with more fish. Even though they know they should be shifting their focus or implementing a new system - or changing the way they do business - they don't. The reason they don't is because they never press the NOW button. They live in a world where they put critical business-building action steps into the LATER category.

Think about your own business. What button do you press more often, the NOW button or the LATER button? In my coaching practice, I hear from brokers all the time about how they thought of making a change in their business but they just kept putting if off. Sometimes it is a matter of not having the right chunk of time to devote to the change, it takes too much research, or sometimes that research sends them down another rabbit hole. Sometimes because there isn't enough knowledge of the change's scope, even starting can seem overwhelming.

But in real estate, if you want to build or expand your business - or improve your business systems - you have to learn to press the NOW button and take the plunge!

We all have things that we would rather not do. We all put off tasks and projects. The key to learning how to press the NOW button more often is to begin by pressing the NOW button for shorter periods of time. Imagine you are at home in the kitchen and there is a pile of dishes or a basket of laundry that needs to be dealt with. You know you don't have the time to finish the entire task but what about pressing the NOW button for sixty seconds? You can get a lot done in a minute!

What I do on a daily basis with the projects that I have in my business and personal life is to make sure I press the NOW button even if it's just for a short period of time.

Here's what that looks like for me: I put together a list of all the projects I need to complete. If I have twenty minutes available, I look at my list and my rule is that I choose four items that I can give five minutes to. Maybe that's five minutes devoted to an important email that I need to send, or an article or research project I am working on. While some people might think it better to take the twenty minutes to tackle one project to completion, I may not be in the mood to spend twenty minutes on one item. But by starting - which is always the hardest thing to do - I quickly realize that the projects I keep putting into the LATER category are not that difficult. By tackling your LATER button items in shorter spurts of time, you will soon realize that everything you have been putting off can easily be tackled.

  

By Denise Lones CSP, M.I.R.M., CDEI - The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones, brings nearly three decades of experience in the real estate industry. With agent/broker coaching, expertise in branding, lead generation, strategic marketing, business analysis, new home project planning, product development, Denise is nationally recognized as the source for all things real estate. With a passion for improvement, Denise has helped thousands of real estate agents, brokers, and managers build their business to unprecedented levels of success, while helping them maintain balance and quality of life.

The Lones Group, Inc.

Comments (20)

Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Denise- you must be talking to me!  LOL But what you said is so true. I've found that once I start what I've been putting off, it's not as hard as I thought it would be. 

May 31, 2018 07:14 PM
Denise Lones

I agree, once I start. I know other people are like this though, the longer we wait to push the start button, the harder it gets to take that stuff. Sorry for the late reply this week!  - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 12:50 PM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Every now and then I put something off and find that it bites me the next day

May 31, 2018 07:22 PM
Denise Lones

The most dangerous things to put off are the things that bite your business 3-6 months down the road. At least the things that hurt you the next day are right back in your face - but watch out, those are often the same things distracting agents from the tasks that feed them six months later. - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 12:52 PM
James Grant
Asheville, NC

Hello, Denise, I agree with you. It was just like me. Thanks for Sharing!

May 31, 2018 09:49 PM
Denise Lones

Thank you James. Great to meet you here on AR.

Jun 06, 2018 12:53 PM
Rose Mary Justice
Synergy Realty Pros - Dandridge, TN
Synergy Realty Pros

The tasks seem easier to tackle a little at a time but I'm afraid I would never get back to it to finish. I feel satisfaction at the finish line.

Jun 01, 2018 07:01 PM
Denise Lones

Make more "finish lines" by breaking your tasks up into smaller chuncks. Then set a deadline and reminder for the next part to do. - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 12:54 PM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

Great reminder of the importance of organizing and acting on things now.

Many of us will  do the tasks we like and tend to put off those we are not so fond of doing.

I have found that many of the tasks I put off are really the most important things I should be doing.

Thanks

Jun 02, 2018 03:16 AM
Denise Lones

For some people, the strategy of doing what they least want to do FIRST in the day, works well. It's when they have the most energy and are well rested. Then getting the easy stuff done becomes part of the reward. - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 12:55 PM
Dana Basiliere
Rossi & Riina Real Estate - Williston, VT
Making deals "Happen"

You're absolutely right. Enemy number one for me too. But once I start something I follow through. It's that physics rule "a body in motion tends to stay in motion; a body at rest tends to stay at rest".  We just need to start the motion.

Jun 02, 2018 05:38 AM
Denise Lones

And starting the motion can be tough. That's part of why I blogged this kick-in-the-pants. Stay in motion Dana! Great to meet you.

Jun 06, 2018 12:57 PM
Sondra Meyer:
EXP Realty, LLC - Corpus Christi, TX
See It. Experience It. Live It.

Thanks for the great tips and reminders about the dangers of not starting to implement changes that we know would be good for our business.

Jun 02, 2018 06:34 AM
Denise Lones

Time has a way of slipping by. This business, being a real estate agent, has so many hats to wear, things to do, places to go. Distraction is a reality and a plague for us. You have to work every day to keep it in check! Good luck to you and your business Sondra! Good to see you again - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 12:58 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Thanks for the push. There's something I started and now need to take the next step. I've been putting it off...

Jun 02, 2018 11:20 AM
Denise Lones

Well, not to chase you off ActiveRain, but go get to it! All the best Marte - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 12:59 PM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

You sound like a very organized person!  There are some projects that I do push off, keep thinking...when the market slows down, I'll get to that to do list!

Jun 02, 2018 12:53 PM
Denise Lones

Being organized and having a great team that I can delegate my weaknesses to has been key to many of my successes. Not everyone's priorities are the same, but odds are that creating new business - whether that's marketing or client care - should be near the top each week.

Jun 06, 2018 01:02 PM
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

Great advice! I believe you wrote this article all about me!  This is definitely a kick in the backside for me to just do it ... get started, even if for only a few minutes.  I am going to make this a priority to do every single day this coming week and see how that goes for me.  Thank you!  Denise Lones 

Jun 02, 2018 02:50 PM
Denise Lones

Diana - You are welcome! I'm glad this message connected with you. I talk a lot about "hour of power". But you have the right idea here. Even 15 minutes of focused "get-it-done-without-interruptions" mode is a good start. Before you know it, it will be the habit you wish you had always had. - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 01:05 PM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375

Diana Dahlberg 
Love your new photo -- well, new to me anyway! Hope you are well and happy. Your Atlanta AR friend, Lynn

Jun 08, 2018 07:37 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

                                                                   

            Thank you Denise.

Jun 02, 2018 06:00 PM
Denise Lones

Kathy - you are welcome! Thanks for sharing as you so generously and often do.

Jun 06, 2018 01:03 PM
Brian DeYoung
also affiliated with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Heritage Realty - Ithaca, NY
The Realtor with personal investment background

It is about knowing which now button to press. There are more every day.

Jun 03, 2018 01:35 AM
Denise Lones

See my blog from last week. And there are more links in the comments there too. Best wishes Brian - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 01:06 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I am not a procrastinator and love to make todo lists. Thanks for sharing some great tips.

Jun 03, 2018 04:50 AM
Denise Lones

Gita - Good for you and glad you found something useful here today! - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 01:07 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Denise Lones,

I missed this post so glad that Kathy Streib featured it in her "Ah-Ha" moments for the week. I'm not a procrastinator but as busy as I've been this first 6 months there are projects I've put on the back burner. Time to tackle them in more bite size pieces.

Jun 03, 2018 05:12 AM
Denise Lones

Hello Dorie! Kathy's done a great job of giving people a second chance to catch good ActiveRain content.


I think you have the right attitude here - "bite sized pieces." Ask yourself what's most pressing in your business, and organize by how well each thing gets you closer to that goal. - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 01:09 PM
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Good morning, Denise Lones great post.... so many agents sabotage themselve by procrastinating.... whenever I don't feel like doing a task and want to put it off to a later date, I think about what a bad decision that will be... I could be guaranteed that something else will happen unexpectedly and the task will not be done properly!!!

Jun 03, 2018 05:22 AM
Denise Lones

As Lincoln said, “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”

Jun 06, 2018 01:11 PM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Interesting idea about spending 5 minutes each on 4 items. I was finding myself stuck recently, and not hitting NOW on a lot of things because there were just too many things to focus on. So I just picked one and did it. And that seemed to free up my feeling of being stuck. But the 5 minutes on 4 things could work too!

Jun 03, 2018 05:29 AM
Denise Lones

Kat - Love your comment. You pushed the NOW button, next time you push it will be easier! - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 01:12 PM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Denise. Procrastination is a killer. I struggle with this but am getting better.

Jun 03, 2018 05:33 AM
Denise Lones

Two things combat procrastination best - number one? Accountability. If you are only accountable to yourself, no one else will know when you fall down. Number two? Habit. A habit of taking time each day to recognize what needs to be done and to make some headway on it is priceless. - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 01:14 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Taking action, in any form, will generate a feeling of satisfaction that will propel you to further action!

Jun 03, 2018 12:09 PM
Denise Lones

I think so too!

Jun 06, 2018 01:15 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Well I sure can identify with this. Thanks for the inspiration. It's interesting that once you do what you have been procrastinating about you find that it's really not all that bad.

Jun 03, 2018 09:51 PM
Denise Lones

At least, if it was bad, you faced up to it and made progress on it. As others here have commented, it's about building and maintaining momentum. - Denise

Jun 06, 2018 01:16 PM
Greg Mona
West USA Realty - Scottsdale, AZ
Professional Real Estate Representation for YOU!

Hi Denise Lones. Guilty as charged! And it appears I'm not alone based upon the other responses! Great reminder and one we could all take to heart. 

Jun 04, 2018 05:40 PM
Denise Lones

Greg! It's been a while, good to hear from you. Now that you've admitted it... take action!

Jun 06, 2018 01:19 PM