Reclaiming Efficiency: Rethinking Meeting Culture in Real Estate

Meetings are vital for collaboration and communication in the dynamic realm of real estate. However, an excess of meetings can hamper productivity and escalate stress. To combat this, it’s crucial to reassess and refine our approach to meetings.

Understanding the Current Meeting Culture

Real estate professionals often have calendars filled with numerous meetings, from client calls to strategy sessions. This default scheduling of lengthy video calls without considering individual work preferences disrupts workflow and limits time for focused, productive work. Constant switching between tasks reduces efficiency, leading to burnout and decreased job satisfaction.

Strategies to Reclaim Your Calendar

1 – Evaluate and Optimise Your Schedule

• • • Analyse your work patterns to identify when you’re most productive. Whether you’re more effective in the morning or evening, align your schedule accordingly.
    • Implement “themed time blocking” to allocate specific times for different tasks, ensuring dedicated blocks for uninterrupted work on meaningful projects.

2 – Set Meeting Standards

• • Establish rules for accepting meetings, limiting the number of meetings you attend each day or week. Opt for shorter durations and voice-only calls where possible.
  • Be discerning about the meetings you attend. Ask if the meeting is essential, if the information can be communicated more efficiently through other means, and if you are the right person to attend.

3 – Prioritise Deep Work

• • • Deep work is essential for high-quality output and innovation. Schedule deep work blocks in your calendar and treat them as non-negotiable.
    • Turn off notifications and find a quiet workspace to minimise distractions. Regular breaks can help maintain focus and productivity.

4 – Embrace Asynchronous Communication

• • Utilise email, messaging apps, and project management tools to communicate asynchronously. This approach allows team members to respond conveniently, reducing workflow interruptions.
  • Encourage asynchronous communication to promote focused work, better decision-making, and reduced meeting fatigue.

5 – Foster a Culture of Respect

• • • Cultivate a culture that respects focus time and promotes asynchronous communication—set guidelines for when to send messages or schedule meetings.
    • Respecting each other’s deep work blocks helps maintain productivity and work-life balance.

Benefits of Reclaiming Your Calendar

By rethinking meeting culture and taking control of your calendar, real estate professionals can experience numerous benefits:

• • Enhanced Productivity: More time for focused, high-quality work.
  • Improved Job Satisfaction: Greater control over work and less stress.
  • Better Work-Life Balance: More time for personal activities and interests.
  • Increased Innovation: Deep work fosters creative ideas and problem-solving.

In summary, real estate professionals can reclaim control of their calendars by challenging the default meeting culture and adopting a mindful approach to scheduling. This will lead to a more productive, fulfilling, and balanced work life. Meetings should enhance our work, not hinder it. It’s time to make meetings work for us, not the other way around.