Achieving a good work-life balance is a goal most entrepreneurs
strive for, day in and day out. It’s easy for the day to slip away, when things
pick up and you are tasked with responding to emails, meetings, showings, and other
unexpected matters. Between work, home-life, and all else that demands your attention,
gaining control of the day and creating a good work-life balance can almost
seem far-fetched.
This isn’t the case for Vanessa Beneze, a recent winner of
the 2019 Relentless
Agent Award. Vanessa has created a work-life balance system that works for
her busy schedule. It was how she handled the unexpected with one of her
clients that gained her the Relentless Agent recognition and when you get to
know Vanessa, it’s very apparent that she’s relentless, in everything she does.
Vanessa starts her day at 5:15am. Before her feet even touch
the floor, her coffee machine, which she auto-programs, is already brewing her
first cup of coffee. While most of her client are still asleep, Vanessa is on
her computer, looking at market data and new listings that may interest her
clients. Before 10am, Vanessa has her color-coded time-blocked schedule for the
day mapped out, so she knows exactly where she’s going and what she’s doing. This
color system is based on her appointments, new listings, information she needs
to email to her clients, and creating marketing ads for social media, just to
name a few. Vanessa also leaves empty spaces while scheduling her day so if
something unexpectedly happens, her time-blocking can allow her the flexibility
to add something in.
It was this level of detail and attentiveness that came into
play when Vanessa was working sell a home for her clients and they encountered
an unexpected delay with the buyers financing.
Watch her story below.
“I realize that I am more than an agent. I am a representative of what it means to be an agent. “
-Vanessa Beneze
Achieving a manageable work-life balance isn’t impossible.
Vanessa shared her color-coded secret to maintaining this balance in her
everyday life. Here is how you can implement her time-block approach into your busy
schedule:
- Use Google,
iCal, or
download any other customizable calendar app from the app store on your tablet
or smart phone that allows for alerts and notifications. This will allow you to
have direct access to your interactive calendar, wherever you go, and you will
receive alerts for upcoming appointments or reminders. - When scheduling your day, use color codes for
specific entries. For example, client meetings will be red, in color,
scheduling posts to social media will be in blue, or things for your personal
life, such as dinner with the family, will be in green. - Schedule time for things that map potentially run
over. These events will be white, in color. This will allow for some
flexibility when you have to redirect things in your day or allow time for an
unexpected event, like driving 6 hours to meet with your buyer contact for financing.
Vanessa says when you set up your day, using the color-coded time-blocked schedule, as soon as the day starts, you’re ready to deliver extraordinary results.
Learn more about Vanessa’s story by visiting the Relentless
Agent website.