More Effort? Or More of the Right Effort?

The difference between a busy calendar and a commitment that moves your business forward.

There's a lot of conversation in real estate right now about the extra effort required to succeed in today's market. And I understand why. Finding opportunities, getting listings sold, and keeping transactions moving can require more work than they did just a few years ago.

But I've been wondering about something.

If you're already working long hours, how much more effort can you realistically give? And perhaps more importantly, is adding more hours actually the best way to improve your results?

I hear from experienced agents whose calendars are full, who respond to clients throughout the day, and who are trying to keep up with everything they believe they should be doing.

Yet the activities that could make the greatest difference in their businesses aren't happening consistently.

Could it be possible that what you need isn't more effort, but more focused effort?

Being Busy Isn't the Same as Making Progress

When an agent tells me they're working hard but not getting the results they want, one of the first things I want to understand is where they're trying to go.

What do they really want from their business? Why does it matter? And what activities will help them get there?

Without those answers, it's difficult to create a meaningful plan. And without a plan, everything can begin to look like an opportunity.

Another lead-generation strategy. Another training program. Another technology promising better results.

When results aren't coming quickly, something new can feel more promising than continuing with an activity that hasn't paid off yet.

But building a business takes time. Relationships develop through consistent attention, and meaningful results rarely happen overnight.

When you know what you want and why, you can develop a plan and establish standards for the activities you're committed to doing consistently.

Then your calendar becomes a tool for following through, rather than simply a record of everything demanding your attention.

Time Blocking Is More Than Putting Something on Your Calendar

One of the most valuable lessons I learned while training to become a trainer for The ONE Thing, by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, is the importance of making appointments with your priorities.

And protecting those appointments.

I encourage agents to begin by putting their personal priorities on the calendar. Family time, vacations, important events, and time for themselves deserve a place there.

Then block time for the business activities that support your goals.

Perhaps that's reconnecting with your best clients, having meaningful conversations with potential sellers, or following up with people considering a move.

But here's where many of us struggle.

We put the appointment on our calendar, then allow everything else to interrupt it.

The phone rings. A text arrives. Someone needs something. Suddenly, the hour reserved for our most important work is gone.

What would change if you treated an appointment with yourself as seriously as an appointment with your best client?

Protecting a time block may mean silencing notifications, closing unrelated applications, or letting people know when you'll be available. It might mean creating a separate window for transaction questions and returning nonurgent calls.

Genuine emergencies happen. The goal isn't to become unavailable. It's to stop treating every interruption as though it deserves an immediate response.

The Hidden Cost of Divided Attention

We've become accustomed to having our attention pulled in several directions at once. We answer messages while preparing presentations, check email between calls, and interrupt one task to handle another.

It feels productive because we're constantly doing something.

But research on task switching tells a different story.

The American Psychological Association has reported that repeatedly switching between tasks can consume significant productive time, potentially as much as 40% in some circumstances. Switching between complex tasks can also increase errors.

That doesn't mean everyone loses 40% of their day. It means divided attention carries a cost.

When you give one meaningful activity your full attention, you create better conditions for concentration, more thoughtful work, and less stress.

What I Learned When My Time Was Limited

People often ask how I manage to get everything done. The answer isn't that I work more hours. I've learned to be intentional about how I use the time I have.

That became especially important several years ago when my husband was recovering from a serious illness. For several months, he was paralyzed from the waist up and needed my help with nearly everything.

Sometimes I had only a short window when I could concentrate on business.

I learned to choose one priority, eliminate interruptions, and give that activity my full attention. Over time, it became a habit.

Today, I plan my work, protect time for my priorities, and keep my phone in Work Focus. I take short breaks to stretch, breathe, or change my state. And I've become much more comfortable saying no to things that don't serve my priorities.

I accomplish more in less time, produce better work, and have more time for my family and myself.

My calendar isn't perfect. Life happens. But knowing what matters makes it easier to decide what deserves my attention.

Consistency Is Built One Commitment at a Time

Let's say your plan calls for 25 meaningful conversations each week with the people in your database.

Five conversations a day.

You know those relationships are important, but you haven't been making the calls consistently. Suddenly, five a day feels overwhelming.

What if you started with one?

One conversation with someone you know and genuinely enjoy.

Then perhaps two tomorrow. Three the following day.

Each conversation is progress. Each time you follow through, you're building confidence and strengthening the habit.

Yet I often see agents focus on what they didn't accomplish.

They committed to 25 conversations and completed five. Instead of recognizing five meaningful steps forward, they concentrate on the 20 they missed.

Research by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, authors of The Progress Principle, found that making progress on meaningful work, including small accomplishments, is closely connected to motivation and positive emotions.

Sometimes confidence doesn't come before action. Taking action is what helps confidence grow.

This doesn't mean lowering your standards. It means developing the consistency required to meet them.

Track your activities, celebrate small wins, and make adjustments when needed.

The goal isn't to do everything perfectly tomorrow. It's to build the ability to follow through again the next day.

Standards First. Then Accountability.

Accountability matters. A coach, colleague, or supportive group can help you stay focused and follow through.

But I believe something needs to happen first.

You need to decide what you're committed to doing and why.

Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning, teaches a commitment-based approach to affirmations that connects what you want to achieve with why it matters and the actions you're willing to take.

I prefer to think of these as commitment statements.

For example:

I'm committed to strengthening relationships with the people I enjoy serving because I want a consistent, referral-based business that supports my family and gives me greater control over my time.

I'll protect 9:00 to 10:00 every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for meaningful conversations and follow-up. I'll silence nonurgent notifications, track my progress, and review my results each Friday.

Now you know what you're doing, why it matters, and when you're going to do it.

And when you share that commitment with an accountability partner, they can help you recognize progress, work through challenges, and stay focused on the standards you've chosen.

Accountability helps you honor a commitment. Clarity helps you make the right commitment in the first place.

What Deserves Your Attention This Week?

If you're already working long hours and feeling overwhelmed, I hope you'll consider that the answer may not be finding more hours.

Perhaps it's making a better decision about how you're using the hours you have.

You don't need to change everything tomorrow. You don't need a perfect calendar or an entirely new productivity system.

You are capable of making meaningful progress.

Start with what you really want. Choose one activity that supports your plan, give it a place on your calendar, and do your best to protect that appointment.

If you're not ready to make five calls, make one. If an hour feels overwhelming, begin with a shorter block of focused time.

Then recognize what you've accomplished and build from there.

The purpose of all this isn't simply to become more productive. It's to build a business that produces the results you want while leaving room for the life you want to live.

Out of curiosity, what's one commitment you could put on your calendar this week, and protect, that would begin moving you toward the business you really want?

One thing at a time.

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Chris Ruszkiewicz is an Exactly What to Say® Certified Guide and the founder of CMR Coaching & Consulting, a founding partner of Keller Williams Realty Milwaukee, and an Executive Business Coach with 32 years of experience in sales, negotiation, and leadership.