Introduction

Given the multitude of tasks that property management involves, it’s essential that you know how to manage your time. Here, we’ve put together some top time management tips for property managers that you need to know.

Property managers have innumerable tasks, all of which must be coordinated and juggled at the same time. There are two primary goals of every property manager: to keep property’s functional at the highest possible level, and to ensure that tenants within those properties are satisfied.

It’s not always an easy balance to calibrate. That said, effective time management strategies make things that much easier.

Let’s take a few minutes to learn more about what a property manager can do to effectively ration their time in a way that maximizes productivity, output and resident-tenant satisfaction.

Don’t be afraid to make lists

For some it’s old fashioned. For others, it works a treat. If you haven’t yet got into the habit of writing down lists, now is the time to reconsider.

Making lists can change everything. Whether you’re at the beginning of the day or perhaps at the end of a long day, try at some point to sketch a thorough list of what needs to be done.

Let’s be honest. We’re all fallible and have the capacity to forget. When it comes to effective property management, these lists are often long – and get longer and longer throughout the day as new requests come flooding in. Don’t allow yourself to become a victim to what seems random and haphazard.

Make a list and, if possible, handle high priority tasks first.

Making task lists like this can make all the difference. It gives you something to work toward throughout the day, whilst also eliminating the risk of any potential memory lapses. There’s also something quite satisfying ticking off tasks as the day progresses.

It acts as a motivating force to keep you going.

Stay consistent

Time management tips for property managers mean nothing if you don’t adhere to these lists.

When we say adhere, we mean it. Working on task lists does not mean leaving a task halfway through. Nor does it mean juggling an unrealistic number of tasks at the same time – where you lose concentration, focus and an ability to work on the task as it should be done.

Stay consistent and don’t lose standards.

Ultimately, it comes down to discipline. The more discipline you have, the better your results at the end of the day. Property management is a profession that requires diligent focus and unbridled discipline. You are in competition with many more property managers and, given the age of online reviews, you must stay disciplines to stay ahead. This is a non-negotiable reality.

Of course, don’t work on tasks at the expense of your health. It’s imperative that you make time throughout the day to recharge your batteries. Don’t ignore breakfast and lunch. If you do, you only serve to compromise your productivity and focus even more.

Far from saving time, you’re losing value.

Structure your productivity

Third, inject some structure into your productivity.

Say, for example, you have quite an enormous task ahead. Rather than handling this task in a somewhat haphazard way, divide that large task into small, manageable tasks that you can diligently focus your attention.

If you try to handle a large task head-on, you may disproportionately focus on some tasks over others – resulting in a shoddy, unfocused performance. In the end, that only serves to eat up more and more time as you try to remedy what should have already been solved.

It also means you can structure that large task into priority and non-priority tasks – handling the former, whilst managing the latter when time best suits. It’s about rationing your time to maximize productivity. Avoid procrastinating or doing other lazy activities, such as over-checking your phone.

You’d be surprised at just how much time is wasted by these activities throughout the day.

Relay these tips onto staff

As a property manager, you are often at the mercy of staff – many of whom may not follow the time management approach that you’ve decided to adopt.

This can have enormous, practical consequences. If your staff are not performing in the way that they should, it has a knock-on effect on your time management strategy.

It’s essential, therefore, that you pass these strategies onto staff – encouraging staff to follow the same principles. This maximizes their efficiency and employment value but, more interestingly, also maximizes your performance, too. They are the functional cogs upon which you depend.

In other words, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.

These time management tips for property managers are just the beginning. You now need to put these strategies into practice. Identify any ‘waste’ in your daily performance. Eliminate these sources of waste by incorporating the above tips into your day. You’d be surprised at the economical difference it can make!