BY ROZ ZWEIG AND DR. GERALDINE MARKEL

Are emotions sabotaging your efforts to get ahead? Even the most accomplished performers experience doubts and difficulties from time to time. However, the Realtors who stay at the top are the ones who think like top performers.

The secret to their success is mental management. Lurking around us are forces like stress and fatigue that interrupt our flow of attention and enthusiasm. Because distraction has a way of turning intention into procrastination, it can keep you from doing the things you need to do to build your business.

Defeating the demons of distraction can put you back on top. But in order to do so, Realtors need a systematic approach and a set of strategies to stay on track. An action plan based on pragmatism and realism allows you to feel more in control of the factors you can impact.

To create a plan, Realtors need to find specific ways to improve the way they work on a day-to-day, and weekly, basis. Some of the best ways to increase productivity and reduce stress include:

Set new goals and action plans. Stop the “I’ll do it later” cycle by setting goals and making plans. The first 15 minutes of your morning can be your most productive. Take the time to plot out who you need to talk to, where you need to visit and what else you have to get done in the precious in-between moments. Also, taking notes each day can help you review the previous day’s progress and understand the best way to use your time.

Manage negative thoughts. Instead of eliminating negative thoughts, manage them by doing a bit of role playing. Mentally taking yourself through an activity is proven to build confidence, and it’s a skill that works in a variety of different buyer/seller situations and negotiations. By doing this, while maintaining a positive attitude, you can tap into your reserves of psychic energy and creativity to become better, and more efficient.

Controlling your mind under pressure. Focus on one task at a time. Many people who try to do several things at once don’t make the progress they need on any single item to check it off on their to-do list. Every additional distraction directly impacts a person’s productivity in some way or other. Multiple distractions contribute significantly to an individual’s stress level and learning to deal appropriately with them yields immediate results in lowering that stress level.

Utilize different techniques to visualize success. One technique is to actually sit in a chair marked “Coach” or “Mentor.” Ask yourself, “What were your greatest successes and how did you orchestrate them?” Review the strengths, talents and skills that contributed to your previous success. Also, tell yourself what you need to do to maintain or improve your sales. Some examples are to revisit two old clients per day, explore a particular new technology that could help or investigate a certain new venture that could be profitable.

Learn something new every week. Increase your knowledge and skills in aspects of real estate outside your usual area of expertise. This can help you find creative new ways to pursue marketing, outreach and networking activities. Also, learning more about the way other people look at real estate gives you the ability to put yourself in their mindset. This means that you’ll understand what they’re saying, and, more importantly, what they’re not saying.

There’s no easy path to success, and that’s also true when it comes to getting a mental edge, especially in a business that evolves and changes so much before the next market report is released. A successful plan will help you increase your work and life performance, while decreasing stress. Take it from us, using this framework to shape your attitude and approach will allow you to get more done.

Roz Zweig is a broker associate in Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Lincoln Park Halsted office. For over two decades, Zweig has collected numerous local and national sales awards, ranking in the top 10 percent of Coldwell Banker sales associates internationally. Geraldine MarkeL, Ph.D., is an educational psychologist who is a coach, speaker and author. She served as faculty in the School of Education, University of Michigan, and has coauthored four books on learning and performance for adolescents and adults with ADD and/or learning disabilities.

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