Switching off after hours in a demanding profession like real estate can be tough.
But it can be done by establishing routines to ensure you are there for those important people in your life outside of work hours.
Speaking to Close-Ups, a series of video interviews for real estate tech firm Rex, Brisbane agent Nyree Ewings explains how she unwinds after a busy day and sets those boundaries between work and home life, which are so important for wellbeing.
Ms Ewings, an agent for LJ Hooker on Brisbane’s bayside, said: “Sometimes it’s difficult to have a real end of the day because real estate is such a 24/7 thing. So when I get home at night I spend an extra five minutes in the car unwinding.”
She likes to relax and catch up on the news of the day before going inside.
“I go upstairs straight away and shower off all the energy of the day so I can be really neutral when I come back downstairs and I’m with my partner and the kids to start the meal for the night.
“Dinner time for me has always been family time so I make sure I am home to sit there with everybody and have a meal. That’s the time to ask good quality questions about what’s happening in their lives.”
While boundaries are important, Ms Ewings is flexible too.
“It can depend on how demanding things are at the time,” she said.
“Obviously we’ve just been through this pretty intense two-year phase. If I’m with family I’ll say, ‘I’m waiting on a phone call or a particular email.’ If I get that I am just going to excuse myself.”
After attending a health retreat last year Ms Ewings cut out caffeine from her diet.
“It wasn’t about the coffee or the health benefits or negatives,” she said.
“It was more of a discipline thing, making sure I didn’t need to wake up with something and could follow a routine.”
Ms Ewings said it is important to take some ‘me time’ to maintain a work-life balance. She likes to take her work team to a yoga class, breakfast or go for a walk.
“That’s a great way to have some of those personal conversations outside of the office,” Ms Ewings said.
Agents have seen massive changes in the use of technology and the ability to work from home.
Ms Ewings said tech tools have helped her achieve a better balance between the demands of work and home.
“Early on in my career I would be racing around until 10pm, 11pm or even 12pm, getting signatures and trying to get a decision,” she said.
“Not everyone had a fax machine or printers at home.”
The experiences during Covid and a busy peak in the real estate cycle means more people are accustomed to working from home and using whatever technology is available to get the job done.
“Whether it is using the Rex CRM or doing a price change after hours, I can access that at home which is awesome,” Ms Ewings said.
She believes worrying about things you can’t control won’t help anyone achieve that essential work-life balance.
“You need to know what the market is doing and you’ve got to be educated around that.
“But being fearful of any changes, whether it’s positive or negative … any of those things you’re worrying about, it’s just not going to change the outcome.”
