You probably remember the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland – he was always rushing around and saying, "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date. No time to say 'Hello,' 'Goodbye.' I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!"
Cute in a cartoon. Not so funny if that is your life…and for too many real estate professionals these days, it is everyday life.
Our industry is sick, and I'm not talking about the fact that the market is in trouble. I mean that the real estate industry is breeding people who become emotionally and physically ill. There is so much competition and pressure that agents feel the need to be constantly "on" and instantly responsive. Technology can be a wonderful tool for business, but we've let that become a slave-driver to the point that too many agents are permanently attached to their "smart phones," and buy into the idea that if you don't respond in under five minutes to every phone call or email that your business will disappear. Agents rush from place to place running on not enough sleep, too much caffeine, and an overdose of adrenaline from their own overstressed systems.
As an industry, we are addicted to adrenaline, burning out, and heading for a major breakdown. Can we fix the industry? No…but we can change one person at a time, and in time that will change the industry.
We need boundaries. We need to take command of our time. We need to get off adrenaline, take command of our own health and care, and stop overdriving our systems. Adrenaline is that old “fight or flight” hormone that has been around as long as humans have. The adrenal gland is part of your immune system; when you are stressed, it kicks into high gear and floods your body with chemicals that help you face challenges and cope with difficult situations. Many of us who live in achievement-focused, modern day America are using adrenaline as the fuel that keeps us going. While it’s a great resource in emergencies, as your primary fuel it can have some very nasty side effects. Dr. Archibald Hart's book, Adrenalin and Stress, is an in-depth look at the whole problem and points to addiction to adrenaline as a leading indicator of future heart disease.
Think of it this way: if you have a car that you love and value, and the engine runs best at a steady 3,000 rpm, what would happen if you ran it steadily at 7,500 rpm? That engine would wear out well before its time, and it would die. That engine at 7,500 rpm is your body on caffeine, adrenaline, and self-imposed time stress.
Here's a revolutionary challenge for you. For one week do these two things:
- Plan to get to every appointment 10 minutes early.
- Reduce your caffeine intake dramatically.
Sound impossible? Difficult, surely. But here are two who have successfully gotten off the stress train:
Elvis in Chicago says,
"I used to run from one appointment to another. Forgetting to leave room for travel time, I'd multi-task until the very last second. I would leave late, arrive disheveled yet adrenalin pumped.
I used to think a few minutes late, no problem. There was at least one time when I showed up just a few minutes late (no problem) only to find another Realtor® had shown up early. They were already engaged in the appointment when I showed up. I didn't get the listing.
On at least one occasion, by leaving with intent to be early I had run into major traffic problem. In spite of the traffic I was still on time. Since changing and leaving early, I have actually been told that in at least one case I got the listing over someone else as the other agent showed a bit late which they felt was a severe lack of respect. I guess the early bird does get the worm."
And Rose in California says:
"I was exhausted and thought drinking caffeine would rev me up. It did for the moment yet the exhaustion was getting worse. I went to the doctor and after tests it was discovered that my adrenal glands were over taxed. The doctor described it like a racehorse that is going as fast as it could and I was still beating it to death. Eventually the horse will keel over. I was pushing my self with not enough rest and by adding caffeine. I was told if I didn't significantly change what was causing my over taxing and caffeine use my health would suffer.
I started taking steps to do this by taking a couple days off a week, cut out all but one cup of coffee in the morning and that was diluted, blocked my schedule where I stopped reacting to the phone EVERY time it rang.
I found I had more time, less stress, more energy, more focus, sleeping better, just all around better health. And believe it or not, I had more business with people who were respecting my schedule. If you don't have your health you can't work."
We all need to build a healthy foundation. One thing that helps build that foundation is The Real Estate Game. It's about taking control instead of letting your business control you, and the goal is making more money and having a life and business you love again.
Implementing this kind of self-care is not as hard as you might think. A bit of planning, being aware of the stressors that you can control, and then taking action to remove the things (and people) that are making your life less than you want and less than you deserve. Next time I’ll talk more about that. For now, are you ready to stop being a white rabbit and start enjoying the success and life you deserve?
Patti Kouri, Accelerated Performance Coaching
Helping You Through Self-Made Limitations
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