Boost your productivity as a real estate agent with these 10 actionable tips, distilled from the best productivity books. Learn how to focus, manage time, set goals, and more.
I Read All the Productivity Books So You Don’t Have To: 10 Strategies to Get More Done (Tailored for Real Estate Agents)
I’ve read dozens of top productivity books—and distilled their wisdom into a simple list of strategies everyone seems to agree are core to getting more done more efficiently. And then the harder task – where to start? So I attempted to rank these strategies by what I think matters most based on many, many years of helping agents.
These are the 10 most effective practices for real estate productivity—no fluff, just actionable principles, and a few examples for each, to help you get more done — without the overwhelm.
I ranked these strategies based on what I’ve seen work for agents over the years—but what do you think? Which one deserves the #1 spot in your life and work? Let me know!
Sabine Steinbrecher
Chief Hiveologist
- Focus and Attention Management
- Why It’s Ranked #1: Focus is your productivity superpower. With so many distractions (notifications, emails, phone calls), protecting your attention is non-negotiable.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Schedule dedicated time without interruptions for key tasks.
- Use a “do not disturb” sign or noise-canceling headphones during critical tasks, like preparing for a listing presentation.
- Block off 1-2 hours weekly to review and refine your marketing strategy without distractions.
- Prioritization (Working on the Right Things)
- Why It’s Ranked #2: Productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most. Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix or the 80/20 Rule to identify tasks that directly impact your success.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Prioritize calling hot leads first thing in the morning – plus you’re fresh and they’re most likely to respond.
- Focus on prepping your most profitable listings or buyers instead of spending hours on less active ones.
- Use the first 30 minutes of your day to map out which tasks directly impact client satisfaction or closings.
- Time Management
- Why It’s Ranked #3: Time is finite, but managing it effectively can double your output.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Set recurring weekly appointments to meet with your top clients or referral partners, ensuring consistent relationship-building.
- Use tools like Calendly to let clients self-schedule showings within your availability, avoiding the back-and-forth.
- Reserve Fridays for catching up on paperwork so weekends stay open for showings and personal time.
- Systems and Processes
- Why It’s Ranked #4: Good systems save time and reduce errors. They let you focus on what only you can do.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Develop a standardized process for onboarding new clients with pre-written emails and checklists.
- Use a digital document management system to store, share, and sign contracts quickly.
- Create a step-by-step staging checklist to streamline your approach for every new listing.
- Goal Setting and Alignment
- Why It’s Ranked #5: Without clear goals, you’re spinning your wheels. Goals give direction and purpose to your efforts.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Set specific goals for weekly showings or open houses to ensure you’re always actively driving potential sales.
- Use a goal tracker app to measure your monthly income vs. your projected targets.
- Align your marketing campaigns with a goal of building a stronger client database.
- Energy Management
- Why It’s Ranked #6: Your energy drives your productivity. Align high-focus tasks with your natural energy peaks.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Save physically demanding tasks, like staging homes or taking property photos, for when you’re feeling most energetic.
- Use midday breaks to reset your energy before afternoon showings or client meetings.
- Limit back-to-back evening meetings by scheduling more high-priority client interactions earlier in the day.
- Habits and Discipline
- Why It’s Ranked #7: Habits eliminate decision fatigue and make productivity automatic.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Create a habit of setting up next-day appointments at the end of every day to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
- Build a routine of prepping your weekly social media content every Monday morning or even better once a month.
- Dedicate 10 minutes at the start of each day to review your leads list and choose three people to contact.
- Delegation and Outsourcing
- Why It’s Ranked #8: You can’t do it all. Delegating frees up time for high-value work.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Hire a professional photographer to ensure high-quality listing photos that save you time and boost results.
- Outsource your email newsletter to a virtual assistant or marketing team.
- Partner with transaction coordinators to handle contract deadlines and compliance tasks.
- Continuous Improvement
- Why It’s Ranked #9: Everything evolves. Top agents uniquely share in a commitment to improvement. Ongoing training, tracking metrics plus regular reviews help you grow, improve and refine what works and drop what doesn’t.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Track which lead-generation methods (cold calling, social media, open houses) yield the best results and double down on those.
- Conduct quarterly reviews of your budget to identify areas where you can improve cost-efficiency.
- Analyze client feedback forms to adjust your communication style or service offerings.
- Commit to regular coaching and training to fill your gaps and stay ahead.
- Mindset and Resilience
- Why It’s Ranked #10: Your mindset keeps you moving forward when things go sideways.
- Real Estate Applications:
- Practice visualization techniques before big listing presentations to build confidence and reduce anxiety.
- Use a “win journal” to record daily successes, no matter how small, to stay motivated during tough markets.
- Reframe setbacks like a lost listing as a learning opportunity. Start each day with gratitude to maintain perspective and motivation.
Why This List Works
This list brings together actionable real estate-specific practices based on the best from productivity experts. Whether you’re a top-producing agent or just starting out, apply these strategies to help you work smarter, not harder.