If “less is more,” then is more less? The most successful property managers don’t just understand the truism that less is more; they consciously apply it to their day-to-day lives. Whether you’re driven by prestige or productivity, when you try to do it all and juggle too many balls, something’s bound to drop.
Try to do too much too quickly, and you’ll water down your focus. Inevitably, projects end up either partially complete or poorly completed. In actuality, what may seem like “more” is just plain counterproductive—maybe even destructive.
We get so caught up in Shiny Object Syndrome [link to article: “How Smart PMs Eliminate Distractions”], by getting attracted to – and distracted by – new ideas and projects, only to move on to the next one as soon as it hits your plate.
We make the costly mistake of equating results with the quantity of our output rather than the quality. But it’s consistent quality, not quantity, that will get us the results we’ve been seeking all along.
With the right focus, you actually can achieve more by doing less — music to the ears of any property manager! That means more impact, more meaning and more results.
In an industry where your to-do list can be so grueling that it makes your head spin, putting the “less is more” principle into practice is integral to achieving sustainable success.
Here are five concrete steps you can take to do less and get more from your efforts. There’s some prep before the doing, but each step is worth it.
1. Think. Before you begin your work day, take a few moments to clear your head and envision your ‘end game’ for the day. What’s the one thing above all others that, if done exceptionally well, would propel you forward? That’s your primary goal for the day.
Next, consider the main reasons why it’s the most important task. When you do this, it will be easier to stay focussed on tackling your goal when distractions and other minor tasks pop up.
2. Predict. Use all the information at your disposal to predict what this day will hold for your property, your client and your team. Factor in both your current property initiatives and your primary goal. Then, decide on what action steps need to be taken to generate the best outcome for all.
Identify who needs to do what for them to achieve their initiatives and for you to achieve your primary goal. Consider deadlines in place and projects due to ensure your primary goal is feasible.
3. Assign. To achieve success in property management, you need to use your team effectively. Delegate all tasks that can—and should—be performed by others.
To accomplish your primary goal, it’s your job to ensure that your team has everything they need to do their best work. Pay attention to what’s on their plate already, provide them with necessary resources, and make sure they have a clear understanding of their responsibility in executing the project. Encourage them to ask questions if they need clarification. It’s preferable to clarify now rather than troubleshoot later.
4. Block. Distractions will throw you off track if you let them, pushing today’s goal off again and again. To minimize diversions and time-wasters, turn off anything that has a history of distracting you. That means put your cell phone on silent, shut down your email, close your office door, etc.
By blocking out distractions, you’ll be able to accomplish more – and do higher quality work – in less time, freeing up time to knock out additional tasks. Make sure to block out dedicated time to respond to email and voicemail as well so you don’t wind up frazzled by the build up.
5. Focus. Schedule 50 minutes in your day planner to concentrate solely on your primary goal. Focus on nothing else. If it’s done, great. If not, take a break. Then determine how much longer it should take to complete. Rearrange your schedule to find another 50-minute block and make it happen.
Remember, you’ve already deemed this task to be the most important so, unless something else exceeds it, focus on doing everything possible to accomplish it.
Consistently use this 5-step ‘Less Is More’ approach to pursue your most important goal and, by doing less, you’ll accomplish more significant results without stress or distractions. It will allow you to be known for the quality of the work you produce, knowing less is indeed more.
