They say multitasking is a skill, but there’s a hidden cost: time wasting. As a property manager, your days are likely filled with a never-ending stream of tasks and responsibilities. From managing resident relations to overseeing maintenance and repairs, it’s no wonder that you often find yourself juggling multiple tasks at once. But did you know that by constantly switching between tasks, you could be wasting up to one day a week?
Context-switching, or moving between unrelated tasks, can have a significant impact on productivity. Research has shown that it can take up to 23 minutes to regain full focus after an interruption or a switch to a new task. This is due to the time needed for our brains to adjust to the new context, retrieve relevant information, and store previous task data.
For property managers, this could translate to a considerable amount of wasted time. Imagine that you’re in the middle of drafting an email to a resident when you receive a maintenance request. You stop what you’re doing, attend to the request, and then return to the email. By the time you regain your focus, you’ve already lost precious minutes that could have been spent on more important tasks.
In fact, studies have estimated that context-switching can cause a 40% loss in productivity. Over a week, this could amount to a full day wasted on inefficient multitasking.
Strategies for Minimizing Context-Switching
To avoid the productivity pitfalls of context-switching, consider implementing the following strategies specifically tailored for property managers:
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Time blocking
Dedicate specific time blocks throughout your day to focus on a single type of task. For example, reserve mornings for administrative work, afternoons for property visits, and evenings for resident communication. By concentrating on similar tasks during each time block, you reduce the cognitive load associated with context-switching and increase your efficiency.
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Prioritize tasks
Start your day by creating a to-do list that ranks tasks according to their urgency and importance—the day before. This will help you stay focused on what truly matters and prevent you from getting derailed by less critical tasks that could wait. Why do it today when you can do it tomorrow?
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Delegate
As a property manager, it’s essential to learn the art of delegation. Assign tasks to your team members based on their strengths and areas of expertise, and trust them to handle those tasks competently. This will free up your time to focus on higher-level responsibilities and reduce the number of tasks you need to juggle.
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Utilize technology
Property management software can help streamline your workflow and minimize context-switching. For example, use a centralized system to manage resident communication, maintenance requests, and rent collection. By having all your tasks and information in one place, you’ll spend less time searching for data and more time executing tasks efficiently.
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Create a conducive work environment
Being constantly reachable can lead to a barrage of interruptions that force you to context-switch. Set boundaries around when and how you communicate with residents, vendors, and team members. For example, designate specific times for checking email or returning phone calls, and communicate these expectations to your contacts. Minimize distractions in your workspace by eliminating unnecessary clutter and noise. This can help you maintain focus and reduce the temptation to switch between tasks.
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Leverage an all-in-one app
One of the most significant contributors to context-switching for property managers is the need to use multiple platforms for various tasks, such as switching between mobile devices, computers, tablets, emails, chat apps, and in-person meetings. To streamline your workflow and minimize distractions, adopt an all-in-one property management app like ONR to consolidate your essential tasks and communication channels into a single, user-friendly platform.
Investing time and effort in reducing context-switching can yield long-term benefits for your entire team. As you improve your efficiency, you set a positive example for your team members and create an environment that promotes focus, organization, and productivity. This will ultimately contribute to a more harmonious and successful property management operation.
Ready to let ONR give you a hand? Book your free demo now!