6 Simple Ways for Property Managers to Stay Productive

by Mitch Vinnitsky Net Integrity Inc

shiva_productivity You don’t have to be in the property management business for long to realize that it’s an intense industry – a balancing act in which you must wear many hats. Between juggling accounting, scheduling inspections, managing maintenance requests, signing leases and responding to various inquiries and requests, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed and under productive. Here are six simple ways that can help you get back on track, stay focused and maximize your productivity.

Get Organized

Sure, finding the time to get your schedule organized can be a challenge, but it’s worth it in the long run. Make use of some of the productivity tools we’ve mentioned here, such as calendar applications and to-do lists, and create a filing system that works for you. When you don’t have to waste time locating what you need when you need it, you’ll be amazed at how much more productive you can be.

Find out what more you can do to boost the productivity of your property management business with The Property Manager’s Guide to Maximizing Productivity.

Set Priorities

The property management industry is extremely fast-paced and often means fielding incoming requests from every direction. Take the time to list your tasks in order of priority and then focus on tackling one at a time, crossing off each as it is completed. You may not get everything on your list done but at least you’ll know at the end of the day the most important items were handled.

Eliminate Interruptions

We’ve touched on this several times, but workplace interruptions are one of the biggest hindrances of productivity. In fact, according to a study conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London, a person’s IQ actually drops by 10 points when they're fielding incoming emails, calls and messages. That’s the same loss you'd experience if you missed an entire night's sleep and more than twice the loss you'd experience after smoking marijuana. When you eliminate these distractions and focus on one task at a time, your productivity will skyrocket.

Be Accountable

The most successful property managers are those who hold themselves to a high standard, both with their property owners and tenants. Holding yourself accountable to deliver what you’ve promised and when can help keep you on track. Avoid procrastinating or letting problems linger that could be resolved quickly and you’ll see an increase in both customer service levels and productivity.

Let Technology Do the Heavy Lifting

When you use property management software as a tool to automate redundant or manual tasks such as EFT and fee calculations, your time will be freed up to focus on more important business matters. Technology can streamline your operations, eliminate information bottlenecks and increase efficiency which translates to improved customer service and a much more attractive bottom line.

Review

At the end of each day, set aside 5 minutes to go over what you’ve accomplished and prioritize your tasks for tomorrow. This one simple activity can help you to get a clear picture of what your schedule looks like so you can manage your time more effectively. It will also allow you to determine what tasks, if any, you can delegate to make sure everything gets handled and nothing falls through the cracks.

Property management can be a hectic business and when you’re being pulled in a hundred different directions, it can be hard to stay focused. These six simple things can help you get on track and maximize your time so that you can spend it being as productive as possible.