With COVID-19, many title agents are helping to stop the spread by working from home. While this might sound like an ideal scenario for some, it is not without its complications. To help, we scoured the internet for helpful tips to help you kick butt at the title game from the comfort of your own home.
1. Maintain a routine
If you typically wake up 7 a.m., go for a jog and get dressed for work, continue with that routine. Don’t stop.
Taking you from a sleepy blur to a clear awakening, a morning routine can help you mentally shift into work mode. Take away the routine and opt to wake up at the time you’d normally walk into your office and you’re setting yourself up to feel unprepared and stressed out.
The same advice goes for your kids. It will be more difficult for them to focus on their online schooling if they simply roll out of bed and turn the computer on.
Don’t have a routine? Now is a great time to start one. Try taking a short walk around the block, meditate for five minutes or write a few pages of free flowing thoughts in a journal to help clear your mind of subconscious gunk.
"Doesn’t matter where I’m at, which home I’m in, or what hotel room I’m visiting. The very second I wake up, I stay in bed for about five minutes and just be."
- Billionaire John Paul DeJoria2. Take breaks (but not distracting ones)
According to a study by the Draugiem Group, frequent break takers are more productive than seemingly self-disciplined individuals who sit at their desk for hours. Turns out the human brain is neurologically wired to work in bursts of high activity, followed by slower periods.
Ideally, you should strive to focus for roughly 52 minutes before taking a 17-minute break in which you completely disconnect from your work.
Of course, this doesn't mean your "break" should consist of watching Netflix. When eight hours roll by and all you've finished is an entire tv series, you're going to wish you opted for a 15-minute yoga session instead.
You might also want to avoid the news during work hours. We all know how easy it is to go down the its-the-end-of-the-world rabbit hole!
Try going on a walk or doing a quick HIT workout or breathing exercises. Then listen to the Night Rider playlist on Spotify to keep you focused on your work.
3. Connect using video chat
While COVID-19 calls for social distancing, modern technology is on our side.
Whether you use FaceTime, Skype or Zoom, catch up with your clients and co-workers through video calls. It will help to make you feel more connected, even if you’re physically far away. And if you find the people you’re reaching out to aren’t too keen on video calls, try sending them a friendly video of you or an audio recording via text.
4. Don't overdue it
Title folks are notorious for being workaholics, but a work-life balance is necessary for a sustainable career.
Whether you're nervous your boss will think you're slacking off or you're unsure of what to do with the feeling of "extra time" that comes with not having to commute, it is important to recognize anxious thoughts and try to minimize them rather than let them fester. Working hard is one thing; driving yourself into the ground is another.
If you typically cook dinner at 6 p.m., power down your work computer and cook dinner when the clock strikes six!
5. Roll out a fraud-proof cybersecurity plan
If you don't already have a fraud-proof plan in place, now is the time to act.
To help out, we are hosting a FREE Cyber Awareness for Remote Workers Webinar & Course Series. So tune into our weekly live webinars, take one of our courses via Real Estate Law Series, or watch our one-minute cyber awareness video series to learn more.
If you do not have a solid wire-fraud prevention plan in place, Vialok is now offering significantly reduced pricing.