How do you do it? That is a question I am often asked.
July 21, 2024
Being the owner of a rapidly expanding broker firm and a mother of three, I am often asked what my secret is. People want to know how I balance running a company, being on the TV and being the best mother I can be.
The truth is, there is no secret and no silver bullet. It is important to me to make sure my mental energy is as high as it can be. There are many ways this can be achieved but something I find both valuable and crucial is taking a break.
When you are busy, with an ever growing to do list, the obvious thing to do is just keep going. Being told to take a break seems counter intuitive, surely you just need to get things done.
But no, taking a break really helps. It is something that helps me anyway!
Tempting as it is to keep on going when you are tired, it’s not always the best thing to do. We make mistakes, perform poorly, and get into a downward spiral: we work more to put things right, trying to keep all those plates spinning but when they fall to the ground, we work more…... and so, on it goes.
And how many times have you tried to read a valuation report, or the details of a lender’s criteria - your bread and butter - yet it still will not make sense.
Taking a break really matters.
Whilst we acknowledge the need to take a break, we all know that work demands do not go away. So, what should you do?
There are different breaks you can try out, so find one or two that work best for you:
• Work in short bursts and take regular 5-minute breaks, say every half an hour. Remember if it helps set an alert to make this happen.
• Or you may prefer to take a short break every 90 minutes.
• Or try two 15-minute breaks a day – however, avoid taking breaks when you are most productive, and choose a time of day when you lag a little.
There are different things you can try, such as:
• Go for a walk – great to get the blood circulating to the brain.
• Eat or drink – look after your physical self too.
• Doodle – just let your mind wander.
• Listen to music – maybe get up and dance for 5 minutes (maybe that is just me)
• Talk to a friend – give someone a call and talk about something other than mortgages.
• Go outside – just get away from your computer.
For me, taking a break makes me feel happier, more focused and more productive—and I bet they can do the same for you. In fact, there are real benefits of taking breaks.
• Breaks can stop us getting bored with routine tasks – and remain more focused and productive.
• Breaks help us retain information – which is invaluable in a market where rates and criteria change daily.
Taking a break can make us feel guilty. But we are human and can’t keep going at full throttle all day long. So just take short, regular breaks in the day – your clients will benefit, as will you.
Start taking breaks – you need it – or be broken.