Being successful means not only getting the most leads or hitting target, but also being genuinely happy in the job. To be happy you need to balance productivity with time for yourself.
There are many professional benefits to making happiness a priority. Happy people are shown to be 31 percent more productive, 10 percent more engaged, and sell 37 percent more.
So how do you get happy?
_ 1) Get healthy amounts of sleep._
It’s not always easy but getting ample amounts of sleep has numerous benefits for your body, from helping your body recover and generate new cells to helping your brain absorb the information from the previous day’s events.
Sleep helps you stay alert, responsive, and determines how you’ll respond to stress later in the day. An extra hour or two of restful sleep can increase your mood and ability to take on tasks during stressful periods. If you can, take advantage of the flexibility of your day to grab a quick nap.
2) Take time to self-reflect and relax.
Taking time to reflect and release tension can increase happiness. If you’re unable to let go of work it is a sure sign of stress and it’s time to find a way to relax. Make this a part of your daily routine. Try writing down three good things that happened today or make a to-do list – basically find something that works for you and do it every day.
3) Take breaks throughout the day.
Stopping a task for a short period can increase your focus and decrease tension. Whether it’s taking a walk, listening to music or meditating, taking a break helps you process information and achieve mental clarity. Taking breaks is particularly important for those, like real estate agents, who have irregular work hours. Don’t feel guilty about taking a break, you do after all work evenings and weekends.
4) Practice smiling
It might sound like a cliché but smiling has health and professional benefits. Smiling can help you relax and lower your heart rate. Clients also want to work with an agent who is upbeat, pleasant and positive.
5) Plan ahead and save money.
Financial troubles can ruin your mood and can cause stress. With the income you earn being unpredictable, try and set aside money to tide you over when you have a bad month or incur unforeseen expenses.
6) Develop real, lasting relationships with clients.
Happiness often comes from a feeling that you’ve helped others. See your clients as friends that you have a real connection with rather than as potential income and your professional life will be more rewarding.
Go the extra mile for them, keep in touch when there’s no business involved, maybe even send them a birthday card – it’s good marketing practice and maintains the personal relationship.
7) Work on improving yourself and pursue goals.
Improve your professional skills by attending conferences, taking classes and doing research online to increase personal gratification. Feeling that you achieving personal growth will increase your professional happiness over time.
Set up a few achievable goals and track your progress towards accomplishing them. Reaching your final goal feels great, but appreciating steady progress is the key to happiness along the way.
8) Say “no” more often.
Warren Buffett once said, “The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything.” This might sound crazy but spreading yourself thin can cause undue stress.
Saying “no” sometimes frees up your schedule and puts your well-being first. Concentrate your efforts on activities that add most value to your business. Qualify leads well and get comfortable passing on undesirable opportunities. Being happy and less stressed will help you have stronger, healthier relationships with the leads that matter.
9) Join a community.
Participating in industry organizations and attending conferences isn’t just a way to learn, you’ll also build enjoyable professional friendships. Getting involved in local activities can be even more advantageous.
Not only will you start relationships that might eventually result in new business, you’ll cultivate a sense of belonging in your community.
Adapted from an article originally published on Placester
