The Real Estate Mom’s Back to School Guide
As a long summer of lazy unstructured afternoons comes to an end, Real Estate Moms all across this nation celebrate the return of routine in their families. In order to prepare for that event, you You have inventoried the kids’ closets, had them try on their shoes, collected the supplies needed by the new teacher and received the school calendars. How can you as a real estate agent and as a mom get off on the right foot this school year?
There is no doubt that you need to make a little extra time during those first few weeks to get everything heading in the right direction with the kids. Here is a quick back to school guide that will help you to keep the necessary focus on your business while helping your children have a successful start to the school year.
Schedule for Peace of Mind
One of the most important aspects of getting all of your goals accomplished as a real estate agent is planning and scheduling. This folds into the “mom” part of your life as well. It is important to know how to blend both the business and personal parts of your life. For example, your calendar, such as Top Producer or some other contact database software, is a key instrument for you to use in organizing your business. Not only should you use it to plan your client meetings, but you must also use it to schedule those important events for your child such as parent/teacher meetings, recitals and pick-ups from school.
When you keep your family and work calendars separate, you will inadvertently schedule a meeting with a client, over a child’s school activity and vise versa. By color coordinating all of your Realtor appointments and mother appointments on the same calendar you can easily see where your focus is on a daily basis. By syncing your Top Producer with your Treo, you will have all of your appointments, work and personal, with you wherever you go.
Organizing For At Home Success
Next, use your Top Producer system to keep you organized. Take a few minutes to record the teacher’s contact information. Most real estate agents would not leave home or the office without having all of their client’s information in hand and it’s vital that all necessary information for your child’s school be in your electronic calendar as well. Include the school’s phone number and any direct teachers’ numbers, email addresses and details that you need.
Establishing Routine as A Real Estate Mom
One of the most crucial times for you to establish family routines is during those first weeks of school. Set up such things as the after school routine with homework, snacks, and chores. My daughter has her “daily five” that she needs to do everyday after school that includes homework, cleaning her room, cleaning her bathroom, unloading the dishwasher and feeding the dog. Once the foundation of this time of the day is set and becomes a habit for your child, you are more able to focus on your job as a real estate agent with minimal time following up on the “daily five.” Getting them into a routine will also create lasting habits in your children
Your job and your clients can be demanding. That doesn’t need to stop you from being a good parent and getting your home life in order. Take the time necessary to organize each of these aspects of your life, by being a real estate agent and being a mom. Spend some time planning, organizing and scheduling by doing the things listed here. A little extra effort now will help in creating a great school year for your child, yourself and your business.