Master Your Hours, Master Your Life: The Power of "Sacred Hours"
Master Your Hours, Master Your Life: The Power of "Sacred Hours"
Unlocking Productivity and Balance as a Hybrid Real Estate Professional
Happy Thursday, fellow Hybrids!
In this essay, I will explain the power of setting up "Sacred Hours" and how doing so can supercharge your productivity as a hybrid real estate professional.
(Today’s issue takes ~3 minutes to read)
Do you suffer from an inability to focus?
Well, that makes sense!
As a hybrid professional, you are, by definition, managing multiple things at once.
This could easily lead to a chaotic schedule and anxiety around all the constant context-switching you do.
You may often ask, “What should I be working on right now?” whenever you sit in front of your computer.
While unstructured time has plenty of benefits, it’s hard to move the needle on your long-term goals without dedicated & explicit focus time.
So where do you even start?
The First Step: Set & Protect Your “Sacred Hours”
Ok, Aaron…what are “Sacred Hours”?
I’m glad you asked.
“Sacred Hours” are non-negotiable time blocks that you set aside to focus on your top priorities.
Once you set your sacred hours, you commit to protecting them at all costs.
In a perfect world, you time this to align with when you’re most naturally energetic and least likely to be bothered.
Credit & Inspiration: Dickie Bush (read his Twitter thread for more context)
Protecting chunks of time to work on specific tasks (aka “Time Blocking”) is not new or novel.
But it isn't easy…and requires practice.
For me, the only truly non-negotiable blocks include the following:
Writing (6-7am)
Work “on my business” (7-8am)
Family time & putting my daughter to bed (5-8pm)
(Note that my “9-5” still fits perfectly in the middle of my day, and I do not consider it a non-negotiable time block. I’m lucky to have an outcome-driven job.)
Learning to set and protect these precious hours will:
Lead to accelerated growth in your real estate portfolio
Unlock higher productivity and efficiency for your side-hustle
Prevent you from compromising your full-time job or your family.
Let's explore some examples of how this simple practice can benefit you.
#1: Establish focus.
Sacred hours matter because they provide an unbroken span of focus on your most important tasks.
We bought 3 rental properties in 2022. You could say we were in an “active buying” phase. To make good buying decisions, we had to analyze hundreds of deals.
To achieve this volume of deal analysis, I dedicated 30 minutes per day strictly to deal analysis. Using my favorite FREE deal analysis software, I analyzed 6 deals every morning (5-minutes per deal).
That’s 30 deals per week & ~120 deals per month!
Now imagine trying to evaluate this many properties without setting aside dedicated time.
The distractions and interruptions would lead to a shallow analysis & lower volume.
By setting aside sacred hours, we dove deep into the evaluation, uncovering insights that would've been missed otherwise.
This focused approach could differentiate between a mediocre and a standout investment.
#2: Maintain work-life balance.
Sacred hours are not only about work; they are about your life outside of work, too.
Let’s be honest. You can always find an “excuse” to spend more time at work or on your side hustle.
But what the heck is the point if you are ignoring your friends & family along the way?
Setting sacred hours for family time creates a space to fully immerse yourself without guilt or stress about work.
Save for a few exceptions for travel or overnights with the grandparents, I’ve put my daughter to bed every night for the first 19 months of her life.
Now THAT is a streak I’m proud of!
This intentional balance contributes to a happier and more fulfilling life, which is essential for long-term success.
#3: Boost your productivity.
Sacred hours allow you to leverage your peak energy periods for maximum productivity.
Imagine two scenarios:
You handle your most complex real estate calculations late at night after a tiring workday
OR
You tackle them during your sacred hours when your energy and concentration are at their peak.
The latter scenario will likely lead to more accurate calculations, quicker decision-making, and a more successful investment overall.
#4: Ensure consistency.
Sacred hours ensure you are consistently dedicating time to your investment tasks.
Without them, your work on the real estate side might become sporadic, leading to missed opportunities.
By implementing sacred hours, you’ll ensure you’re consistently working on your portfolio, steadily building it one property at a time.
This will lead to a more robust and profitable portfolio in the long run.
#5: Avoid burnout.
By setting boundaries through sacred hours, you avoid the risk of burnout.
Work and personal life can blur without such boundaries, leading to constant stress.
However, with clear time blocks, you know when to switch off, rest, and recharge. This sustainable approach leads to better mental health and productivity over time.
Final thoughts
By implementing “sacred hours,” you can elevate your productivity, improve your work-life balance, and lead to consistent and sustainable success in your hybrid real estate investment journey.
Start small by picking one task you’d like to do every day and commit to 15 minutes.
Try it for 2 weeks and I guarantee you’ll see results. Let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear from you.
Have a great week.
-Aaron