First-level managers in the real estate industry have a difficult job.

They’re tasked with a wide swath of responsibilities, and they are often required to react to the urgent needs of their agents.

Proactive tasks (like recruiting) frequently get pushed to the bottom of the list and left undone.

It’s no secret that a constant focus on the urgent burns out managers and kills real estate offices.

So, how do you stay focused on the proactive tasks leading to long-term sanity and success?

Some individuals benefit from visual reminders to get them focused on the right priorities.

Let’s suppose you’ve made a commitment to dedicate 3 hours/week to proactive recruiting tasks (making calls, sending emails, conducting interviews, following up on previous meetings, etc.).

To visualize the 3 hours, take 6 sticky notes and label them one through six and stick them on your desk.

Every time you complete 30-minutes of proactive recruiting work, remove one of the sticky notes.

When those uncompleted proactive tasks take on a physical form, it helps remind you of your commitments and what needs to be done to accomplish your goals.

This is a quick, low-cost accountability trick that works for some managers.

Try it and see if it works for you.