Being a real estate agent is like being a warrior in the professional world – it’s a different breed of work.
Think about it…
- Your office extends out into the wide geographical landscape in which you oversee.
- You meet face-to-face with clients on a regular basis (a lost art in today’s digital age).
- You’re constantly running from one location to another.
- You don’t work within the confines of 9 am to 5 pm. When your buyers call, you answer.
The daily grind and rigmarole of working as a real estate agent can take a huge toll on the body and mind of anyone in the profession. According to a 2017 study conducted by Statista, 37 percent of individuals have seen increases in overall stress levels due to their job demands over the previous year. This is clearly seen in the real estate industry.
Agents tend to work themselves into a frenzy. However, as we all know, time is money…
So what remedies come into play when dealing with one of the most demanding professions in the modern-day economy?
Let’s Get Physical
We’ve noted previously here at Verse how vitally important your personal style is when dealing with your buyers.
The way you present yourself to the world can make-or-break any potential sale you may have:
- Are you showing up to your showings looking disheveled?
- Are you keeping up with hygiene?
- Are you only partially dressing yourself before meeting clients?
The same can be said about your overall physical health when it comes to your energy in this profession.
According to a study done by research scientists from the University of Georgia, individuals who engaged in low-intensity workouts on a regular basis decreased fatigue by 65%.
As the author of the study, Tim Puetz, puts it, “We have shown that regular exercise can actually go a long way in increasing feelings of energy – particularly in sedentary individuals.”
How sedentary (outside the needed physical responsibilities of your job performance) have you been in your life? Integrating low-intensity workouts into your daily routine isn’t overly demanding on your time and body and don’t necessarily involve a costly gym membership. These workouts can include:
- Investing in a standing desk.
- Taking a 20-minute walk during your lunch break.
- Riding a bicycle to and from different real estate locations.
Some of these workouts adhere to the NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis) Principle.
NEAT includes the physical movement in our lives that isn’t planned exercise or sports.
Another method of promoting your own physical health through the time-constrained windows of this profession is through the regular practice of yoga.
According to Psychology Today, regular practice of yoga has been proven to increase body awareness, relieve stress, reduce muscle tension, strain, and inflammation, sharpen attention and concentration, and calm and center the nervous system.
Don’t Forget About Mental Wellness!
As alluded to earlier, this profession can be very demanding on the psyche for even the strongest minds in the industry.
Bustle.com puts real estate agent first on its list of 10 most Stressful Jobs in America.
Managing your mental health and deliberate action in maintaining it cannot be sacrificed at any cost.
Fortunately, there are many simple and time-friendly measures you can take in order to fortify your mind to the onslaught of all the stresses this life can bring.
-
Breathe:
Yes, this seems obvious, but most people forget the value of contemplative breathing as a means of reducing stress:
-
- Inhale slowly and breathe deeply through your nose, feeling your stomach expand.
- Exhale slowly, again through your nose.
- Repeat for one minute.
- Practice mindfulness meditation:
Similar to the above practice, mindfulness includes:
-
- Finding a nice quiet place to sit and remain in a relaxed yet aware posture.
- You want to help quiet your mind here: when you breathe in say in your head “in” and when you breathe out say to yourself “out.” Again, you are quieting the rigmarole of your mind wandering.
- There are great smartphone apps that can help you make a daily practice of this: Calm and Headspace are a couple of favorites!
-
Take inventory of your circadian rhythm:
In other words, practice a manageable sleep schedule. Getting enough quality sleep has been shown to improve:
-
- your concentration.
- memory.
- energy levels.
- Taking a sabbatical/vacation:
Sometimes, we just need to step away from the never-ending daily grind of it all (except not for too long).
-
- Let your buyers know you are stepping away for a bit and put them in the hands of a trusted associate.
- Disconnect from your work and focus on what truly matters during this vacation: your spouse, your kids, and your time together.
To Recap
The mind-body relationship is a tightly wound web that is still being untangled by the advancements in modern science and research.
You know and realize the demands that this work can have on you. Now you also know the proper tool belt you can utilize to take you mental and physical health to a higher level as well.
The human body is a machine that needs proper care and maintenance to reach full optimization– It needs regular exercise in order to increase energy levels and reduce fatigue.
Your brain and your mind also need the proper fueling and maintenance in order to thrive in this arena.
It is your responsibility to use the advantages at your disposal to elevate your cognitive abilities throughout the day.
- Take a moment and breathe.
- Carve out time for daily mindfulness meditation.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- If all else fails, give yourself a vacation.
You’ve decided to enter this arena as a true warrior of the marketplace with this job.