Seven Tips to Switching Off After-Hours

Most property managers simply don’t switch off properly after their workday has finished. Those who don’t physically take their work home with them often take it home with them in worries and concerns. This is a major contributor to burnout! In order to function 100% effectively at work, you must switch off 100% after-hours.

These 7 tips should help you enjoy your life a little more once the workday is done.

#1 – Induct your Tradespeople for after-hours calls.

Choose your tradespeople carefully and get them to take tenant calls after hours, training them as to the level of priority. Your tradespeople don’t want to be bothered by trivial issues that can be handled in normal business hours either, so inform your tenants and owners of your after-hours policy and there really should be no need for you to be on-call after you leave the office for the night.

#2 – Have an effective phone message for after-hours.

Don’t make the mistake of using the same phone message all of the time. Your after-hours phone message should let people know that you will return their call on the next business day, and if it’s an urgent repair to call your tradespeople. As long as the message is able to inform and instruct the caller, you don’t need to be taking calls after-hours.

#3 – Switch off your phone!

If you have effectively dealt with the repairs issue after-hours and you have a good, informative phone message, what good reason is there to keep your work phone on after you leave the office at night? Just the very thought that you could be disturbed by a work-related call can cause stress. So switch it off!

#4 – Educate your owners and tenants.

At the start of each relationship, educate your owners and tenants that you’re available during business hours and if they call you after-hours, you will return their message on the next business day. Saying nothing will translate to most people as ‘you’re a real estate agent, that means you’re available 24/7’. No, you’re not and you need to let them know that upfront!

#5 – Don’t give out your mobile number.

Many property managers have made the decision not to have their mobile number on their business cards so people cannot call them after-hours. This can be a strange transition if you have always given out your mobile number to owners and tenants. In some cases, you will need to get a new phone number and re-educate your clients on how to contact you, either by email or at the office number. How do you deal with this when clients request a mobile number?

#6 – Write out your to-do list before you go home.

When you get everything you need to do tomorrow written out in a list today before you go home, you download your mind onto paper. You and your mind are now ready for ‘home mode’. It is a great stress reliever to know that all you have to worry about is what is on your list in the office for the morning – so there is simply no need to worry about it now!

#7 – Deal with the big issue before you go home.

Don’t leave a big issue open at the end of the working day if you can help it. It can weigh on your mind and trouble your thoughts, more often than not creating a distraction from your real life (and that NOT works by the way!). So deal with it before you go home and be home when you are home.