When I get home at the end of the day I have a terrific family. Four kids (two boys, two girls) and a wife of 21 years and 11 months are found at home. We've been blessed with good health and live in a great area of the country for kids to grow up. As all kids are, they are involved with many activities and are busy developing their social lives, as well.
Complications usually happen, however, when one begins to override the other. Real estate is not a 9-5 job no matter how much I wish it to be so. During negotiations there can be 9:30 pm phone calls. Tenants may have pressing needs at 6:00 am. (I once had a sump pump stop working in the middle of a thunderstorm on a rental property I own. I'll be right over!!!) And let us not forget the buyer who will only be in on the day I was going to do something, anything, fun.
On the flip side sometimes the family can begin to fight back for it's fair share of time. Like I said, I have four kids. One is a genius and has to go to special events to keep up with his intellect. Another has behavioral issues as a result of his very bizarre beginning provided to him by his birth mother. Another has a mild form of CP and therefore needs special physical care and rehabilitation on a constant basis. The other, well, she's just two. Enough said there.
And my beautiful wife seems to think she needs attention, too!
Here are 5 tips to having a healthy career and family life.
- Take at least one day off during the week, no exceptions. If a client needs you refer it out or explain that is your day off. I've done both.
- Be where you are. Stealing time away to have lunch at school with your kids to make up for missing the baseball game can be a good idea. Talking on your cell phone the entire lunch is not.
- If married (or with significant other) take time to date. No matter what, my Mrs. and I are getting out of the house at least twice a month without the kids. Usually it's late after the youngest three are in bed. But it works.
- No matter what is going on in your family life you still need to find time to work. Unless you've worked yourself to the point of being able to take off extended time, real estate is a business where momentum is easy to lose and tougher to gain. With my family and it's needs, if I get too distracted our income suffers. That's another distraction.
- Make your successes your family's successes. They will miss you when you are out working. Give them a reason to celebrate, too. A goal to shoot for.
Real estate is easy to evaluate while looking back. Mistakes, both personal and professional, are easy to see in hindsight. It's much tougher to evaluate "in the moment". It will take planning and practice on your part to keep your balance. Just like that cool surfer dude in the photo.
