On this 274th episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I want to bring to the surface my ultimate purpose which is to teach advisors and entrepreneurs how to build a business that they run and to scrap a business that runs them. This week, I’m handing you a powerful life hack - one that can help you not just survive the chaos of our industry, but thrive through it.
Every January, we promise ourselves that this year will be different. That we’ll finally create more space, find more balance, and stop letting the business run us. But by April, most advisors and entrepreneurs are right back in the grind - burned out, reactive, and wondering how to keep up. This MMPT is your wake-up call - and your roadmap. I’m sharing a life and business hack that changed the way I operate, one I wish I’d implemented earlier. It’s not flashy. It’s not complicated. But it will help you build a business that fits into your life, not the other way around.
Before I jump into today’s call, I want to remind you of my professional purpose: to help you, the full-service, full-fee Advisor, optimize your productivity and become the best version of yourself. Why? Because “Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate.” I do that by teaching you how to handle the challenges and opportunities you face every day. When you can effectively manage the situations that arise daily in your business, you’ll be more productive and live a life that reflects the best version of yourself. My ask is that you listen as if you’re in a one-on-one coaching session with me, either in my office or on a call.
Most real estate advisors and entrepreneurs suck at living. Some have approached balance at times while a small percentage have figured out the formula and live it. This is about a mindset that commits to an annual planning process focused on building in the downtime needed to operate at a high level - personally and professionally. It’s simple. It’s strategic. And it works.
But before we get into it, let’s be real about what I know to be true about most advisors and entrepreneurs:
- Real estate advisors and entrepreneurs are wired differently. Addicted to the dopamine drip of contracts, closings, and chaos. Most people - even the ones closest to us - don’t get it.
- Most wear hustle like a badge of honor, even as the people who love us beg us to slow down.
- We serve others instinctively, often at the cost of our own wellbeing.
- Most real estate advisors and entrepreneurs don't plan time off - we collapse into it after burnout.
- Even when a vacation is taken, real estate advisors and entrepreneurs rarely unplug. There’s always a deal that “can’t wait.”
- This business pays us well because very few can sustain it. Most don’t last a year.
- And none of this changes unless we change it. Intentionally.
The book Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang changed my perspective. It showed me that downtime isn’t a reward - it’s a requirement for peak performance. He challenges the hustle culture by presenting a science-backed case for the power of deliberate rest. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and profiles of high performers throughout history, Pang argues that rest isn’t the opposite of work - it’s an essential part of it. He introduces concepts like deep play, strategic naps, and work-rest rhythms that fuel creativity, resilience, and sustained high performance. The book is a practical guide for professionals who want to achieve more by doing less - intentionally. It's not about burnout recovery; it's about burnout prevention through smarter living.
So let me break down the mindset shift and systems that have helped me - and the advisors that I coach - create sustainability.
Start Here:
- Be honest with yourself. Know your limits. Don’t wait for a crash to tell you you’ve gone too far.
- Understand your rhythms. Daily. Weekly. Quarterly. Annually. Know when you’re on fire - and when you’re fried. (More on this in the podcast.)
- Plan proactively. Schedule your days, weeks, quarters, and year with intention.
- Stop living on default. If you don’t control your time, the business will.
- Build Standard Operating Procedures. Your business SOPs are your systems.
- Hire Below Your Pay Grade. Hire people to run your SOPs so you can find the downtime need to sustain a long career.
Tactical Downtime Strategies:
- Daily: You need at least one uninterrupted hour for yourself. My morning ritual is non-negotiable. It’s where I get grounded before the day hijacks me.
- Weekly: Take one full day off every week. No appointments. Period.
- Quarterly: Follow the 12 Week Year model. Week 13 is for rest, review, and reset. Leave your usual environment. Celebrate your wins. Recalibrate.
- Annually: Plan your personal time first - before the business gets it all.
- 1 Month Off: The ultimate goal for you and your business is to designate 1 month that you drastically reduce your output. I wanted to say "don't work" but we know that reality.
Here’s How That Looks in Practice (based on the Chicago market):
- January: Light listing month. Great time to travel, regroup, and recharge. Don’t wait until burnout hits.
- February: Schedule 4-day getaways around Presidents Day or winter break. Short, intentional breaks go a long way.
- March/April: Find pockets of time now - don’t wait. Last-minute travel is stressful and expensive.
- May–September: Use this high-production season for local escapes. Block off weekends. Chicago was made for summer. Don’t miss it.
- August: Great month (in Chicago) to "drastically reduce your output".
- October: My favorite. Fall in the Midwest is magic. Create meaningful experiences.
- Holidays: Plan way in advance. For many, the week between Christmas and New Year’s is the only true downtime. Make it count.
From Someone Who’s Burned Out (More Than Once):
- This is not a shortcut. You still need to build a business that runs with intention and creates capacity.
- Travel isn’t a luxury - it’s a line item. If money’s tight, get creative. It’s about effort, not extravagance.
- Take the annual planning process seriously. We tell ourselves “this year will be different” - but it won’t unless we make it different.
- Use a travel agent. Seriously. Build a travel profile and let them do the heavy lifting or use AI for assistance.
- Set expectations with family and friends. This job is real. So are the sacrifices. Counterbalance it with experiences that restore you.
- Consider buying a getaway property. Drive-able. Rentable. Strategic. Talk to your CPA about how to do it right.
- Return to familiar places. Comfort = faster decompression.
- Cap your work week at 50 hours. After that, your effectiveness tanks.
- Plan things to look forward to. It boosts morale, focus, and joy - yes, joy matters.
If we don’t start building intentional rest into our lives, the damage is inevitable - and it’s deeper than just burnout. Relationships erode, health declines, and the business we’ve worked so hard to build becomes a prison instead of a platform. You’ll show up exhausted, reactive, and disconnected - not just from your clients, but from yourself. This industry will take everything you’re willing to give - and then ask for more. If you keep running without boundaries, something will eventually break. The cost isn’t just professional. It’s personal. And by the time you feel it, it may already be too late. Don’t wait for the crash. Change now. Start your annual planning process now.
