Real estate agents are known for their busy schedules and long working hours, leaving little time for personal life, let alone vacation time. However, taking a break from work and carving out vacation time is essential to prevent burnout, prioritize mental health, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Here we’ll discuss practical tips for how to effectively carve out vacation time while managing a busy business schedule. From assessing your business cycles to setting boundaries with clients, read on to discover how to make real estate vacation time a reality.
How to Carve Out Vacation Time as a Real Estate Agent
Agents don’t get to choose four weeks every year that are mandated off-times provided by a boss. Instead, it’s up to us to choose these times, which can sometimes lead to those vacations never being taken!
When it comes to strategic planning, most real estate agents swear by clustering vacations around the fall and winter when the market is typically in off-season mode. However, this can vary depending on the location and market. Assess your own business to determine when you’re busiest and when you experience the slowest time periods.
Don’t be afraid to squeeze in a bit of time off during your busiest months. A quick three-day vacay can sometimes be the mindset recharge you need to come back refreshed and ready for action.
Trade off with another agent. Create a mutually beneficial alliance with another agent who can provide backup for you while you are away. This should be someone you trust and in return you’ll be their backup during their time off.
Pre-schedule out posts and content for your social media and blog. If you run out of time to get ahead on marketing and miscellaneous tasks such as this before you leave, consider hiring a virtual assistant.
Vacation time is important for real estate agents for many reasons
Burnout prevention: You typically work long hours and deal with high-pressure, stressful situations, which can lead to burnout. Taking time off can help recharge your batteries and prevent burnout.
Mental health: Vacation time helps prioritize mental health. By taking a break from the constant demands of your job, you can focus on self-care and relaxation.
Improved productivity: Taking time off can actually improve productivity in the long run. Studies have shown that people who take vacations are more productive and creative when they return to work.
Work-life balance: Real estate agents often work weekends and evenings, which can make it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Taking time off helps you to prioritize your personal life and relationships.
Increased job satisfaction: Taking time off can also lead to increased job satisfaction. When you feel like you have a healthy work-life balance and are able to take time for yourself, you’re more likely to feel fulfilled and satisfied with your work.
It’s Okay to Wean off Work
A disclaimer, this section isn’t a rationale or justification for having your head glued to your phone while you walk around Disney or pick up a call during a romantic beach dinner. On vacation, your first priority needs to be yourself and your loved ones, particular if you have children in the mix.
But say you’ve taken a couples trip to the mountains and your significant other attempts to help you relax by hiding your work phone and cutting off the WiFi. This might backfire and produce more anxiety of the unknown issues happening back home. Setting aside a reasonable amount of time (no more than say, one hour) each morning before vacay activities begin can help you feel good that your professional world isn’t crumbling while you shop for souvenirs. It will also establish to your brain that your business doesn’t go up in flames the minute you turn your back.
Different Types of Vacations Serve Different Purposes
Have you ever gone on vacation and come back and when asked how it was responded with something to the effect of “I think I need a vacation from that vacation.” Not all vacations are equally restorative, in fact, some are downright grueling (we’re looking at you Mickey). There’s the tourist trips which keep you moving the entire time and then there are the retreats that allow you to do more or less nothing for several glorious days, no agenda, no timetables, just relaxation. Understanding the difference can help with your expectations. Taking a staycation to dive into a hobby or continuing education course for instance can be another great use of your free time. Mixing these different types of vacations into your year can be quite beneficial.
Vacation time isn’t an indulgence, it’s an important part of life that helps prevent burnout and supports good mental health, while improving productivity and helping to maintain a healthy work-life balance and job satisfaction. With so many benefits, you owe it to yourself and your business to make the time.
