I recently read an article about 'splat' moments and the author talked about Hillary Clinton's moment when she had to leave the 9/11 event recently. 'Splat' could also be known as 'crash and burn'.
It comes when you are so busy that the time needed to take care of yourself is not available due to a crazy work schedule or unusual demands on your time.
In my work with real estate agents I have observed this in others and have experienced it myself. I'll never forget my own 'splat' moment in 2001 when I was walking a new construction lot of land with a buyer and his brother and I passed out. That's right fell on the ground passed out. It was horrifying and embarrassing and was my 'splat' moment.
Life is busy and the demands on our time are many. The Miracle Morning is a way to take care of yourself and still do all the things you want and need to do to reach your goals. It can be tough to do, it certainly takes discipline and my Miracle Morning is for sure a work in progress but the alternative of not reaching my goals or even worse having a 'splat' or 'crash and burn' episode is keeping me going.
CoachingClues: Are You on the Road to Splat? - Bernice Ross
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are you running with your business seven days a week, missing family events to handle client business, and constantly feeling stressed out? If so, you may be on the road to having a “splat” moment that can have serious consequences for both your health and your business.
I recently spoke for the Maryland Association of Realtors® on Winning the Mindset Game. During that session, I outlined a three-step model that alerts you when you need to make a major course change.
The Feather, Bat, Splat Warning Model
The first warning sign in this powerful model is the “feather.” The feather is that little voice inside that says, “You’re working too much, you’re not eating right, and you really do need to take some time off.” You may also be making little mistakes that you normally don’t make—you miss an appointment, you forget to pay a bill, or leave your phone at a restaurant.
The second step is the “baseball bat.” This occurs when you come down with a bad case of the flu, you have an abscessed tooth that requires a root canal, or your hard drive crashes and your data is wiped out along with it. Your business may be plagued with difficult clients, problem transactions, and computer issues.
If you ignore these warning signs, you may go “splat” by having a car accident, a major illness, or some other problem that keeps you from working weeks or even months.
A Very Public Splat Moment
As I watched the video of Hillary Clinton’s so-called “wobble,” it struck me that the events leading up to this event followed the model above. Clinton has struggled with persistent allergies and a cough for months (the feather).
Clinton’s physician, Lisa Bardack, revealed that in January, Clinton was suffering from sinusitis and an ear infection that required antibiotics, steroids, and myringotomy tube to be placed in her ear to drain the fluid (the baseball bat).
As Clinton’s cough worsened, she saw Bardack on September 9, 2016. Bardack informed Clinton that she had pneumonia and advised Clinton to amend her campaign schedule. Clinton refused. Instead, she attended the 9-11 event in New York City. The result was a very public “splat” moment that dominated the headlines.
How to Avoid Going Splat
Sadly, many real estate professionals end up working seven days a week, grabbing fast food on the run, and giving up precious family time to work on doing another deal. I know, because I did it for two decades. It’s taken years of coaching and work to break the habit.
Moreover, I don’t even remember those people’s names or what was so important that I was willing to sacrifice two decades of memories. What I do remember is the time spent with family, special events with friends, and the memories made having fun outside of work.
Take Time to Refuel
When you push seven days a week or work long hours, it’s the same as running your car 12 to 14 hours per day. Sooner or later you need to replenish your fuel. The only proven way to do this is to take time off.
As Ann Lamont observed, “Almost anything will work better if you unplug it…even you!”
What I’ve found is that after I take a day off, I get twice as much accomplished as I did on the day before my day off.
You Don’t Have to Be Available 24-7 to Succeed
Regular contact doesn’t mean 24-7. Instead, if you regularly update your clients with the latest activity on their listing, any new competing properties that have come on the market, or use a transaction management platform that notifies your clients of each step being taken in the transaction, there’s little reason for them to contact you. Unless something very unusual is happening, there’s no reason for you to give up your evenings and special times with loved ones. Virtually all real estate issues can wait until the next morning when you are back at work.
Identify What You Do Well and Delegate the Rest
How much do you make an hour? To answer this question, divide your net income from your Schedule C, LLC, or Corporate tax return by 2,000 (that’s 50 weeks at 40 hours per week.) For example, if you made $50,000, then your net hourly rate is $25.00 per hour.
What this means is that if you are doing $8.00 an hour work such as putting out signs, picking up lockboxes, or going to the post office, each of those activities costs your business $17.00 per hour. Hire someone else to do these simple chores so that you can generate the extra one or two listings per year to cover the cost.
Furthermore, if you hate doing paperwork, a transaction coordinator will get the job done faster and more accurately. This frees up your time to do more lead generation as well as making it easier for you to take time off.
When You Get the Feather, Pay Attention to It!
When your body starts telling you that you are doing too much, pay attention! You can’t help your clients if you’re home sick with the flu or if something else goes seriously wrong.
Instead, schedule a full day off, take time to enjoy your loved ones, and make a point to catch up on your sleep.
Also, be proactive about preventing problems by having regular physicals, visiting the dentist every six months, and having your eyes checked annually.
While it may be a challenge to do these things, it certainly beats the “splat” alternative.
