Family. Friends. Baking. Office parties. Holiday dinner prep. Shopping. Gift wrapping. Cleaning. Work.

Wait a minute – isn’t this supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year?

Throughout the year, We offer insight into how to run a successful real estate business. It just so happens that many of these common practices translate nicely into how to enjoy a successful (read: stress-free) holiday season.

Time Management

You’ve heard us say it time and time again: you only have so many hours in a week. You can’t make more hours appear out of thin air, but you can decide how you spend that time.

This season, make your hours count. Realize that you don’t have to say yes to every party invitation. If baking feels overwhelming, buy the cookies this year and choose to spend your time with your family instead. Make time for work if you need to, but know when to stop and to focus on people around you.

Choose Your Attitude

You’ve got a list of people to shop for, and there’s only one Saturday left before Christmas.

On the one hand, you can walk into the mall anticipating the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, the time wasted in line-ups, the stressed out cashiers, and the zoo in the parking lot. If you expect these things, you’ll definitely get them.

On the other hand, you can pick up a cup of your favourite seasonal drink, ask another last-minute shopper friend to join you, and spend your time in the line-ups catching up. You can offer that stressed-out cashier a smile, and you can laugh instead of gritting your teeth when things get a little crazy.

Don’t like what’s going on around you? You can’t always control what’s happening – but you can control your attitude.

Don’t Waste Your Time

You know those prospective buyers who have been contemplating buying for the past 36 months, but who can’t quite decide on a property, despite the fact that you’ve shown them a hundred or so?

Beware their Holiday time equivalents – the energy-sucking activities that you do “just because”, despite the fact that they stress you out and you don’t really enjoy them. Meaningful traditions are important, but don’t be afraid to drop something you don’t enjoy doing.