I was looking for some photographs for my blog yesterday. I began to go through some of my archives when I was reminded of a startling reality.
I am nearly three years behind in processing my photographs. By processing, I mean sorting them and resizing them to a resolution suitable for a blog post.
I knew that I was a little behind … but three years? I got to thinking about why I was so far behind on performing tasks that I used to love to do. And then it hit me:
These ancillary tasks are very time consuming. And time is something that is in scarce supply these days. So as each real estate transaction gobbles up more and more of the depleting commodity, there is precious little time left to do the things that I love to do.
If I really had to guess, I probably work about eighty to ninety hours a week counting online marketing efforts. That doesn’t leave a lot of free time for household projects or hobbies.
But for now, that’s just the way it is. I don’t see things changing anytime soon.
I feel blessed to have the work!
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Work when the opportunity presents as there will be time to rest later! Of course I wonder if one really ever takes time off and never thinks of work when you are in the real estate business!
Wow! 80-90 hours. Thankful I still hang around 40 hours a week! You do good work blogging!
Congratulations on your continued success....kind of shocking when you see that reality ,though, isn't it?
Blessed indeed to have work. Well put. It appears however, that you have a ton of gorgeous pictures to keep your blog dotted with them!
Right there with you on the hours part. Was just thinking of it the other day. In comparison, with the market and short sales. But the online marketing etc does take time too.
People who say they work 40 hours are probably fooling themselves. Sitting at your computer at 7:00 responding to e-mail and checking the hot sheet is "working". Some people think if they are not in the office, they are not working. NOT so!
I unfortunately feel like I have a lot of free time in this market; I am having a good year but it has slowed down a lot in the last few months. Heck, I just started blogging on AR a lot in the last month. But, I take the slower times in stride because I am always provided for in some way. I love being busy too; the more balls I juggle the happier I am. I guess at my age, I 've learned to accept whatever is in front of me.
Cindy in INdy
Kind of nice to know that you are too busy in this business these days :)! It could be an entirely different situation :)! Lots of luck processing all of those photos.
It is quite amazing how much time each transaction takes now. What used to be the norm is now the exception.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!
I thought I was the only one with a photo pantry full of files of photos that just reside there waiting until I need one to get resized.
I believe there is a setting on my digital camera that loads to smaller pixels, but dang if I can find it. The manual is in such small font type that, even with glasses, I can't read it.
Oh well. I'll just resize one when I need it. I too have thousands saved and catalogued, but not resized.
My late Dad taught me to "make hay while the sun is shining". Not every opportunity turns into a paycheck, but I am busy.
That is certainly a lot of hours Richard! I would say that I don't work quite as many as that, but close.
I know! When you eat, sleep and breath real estate, everything like housework and hobbies fall to the wayside. But it's realtors like you, putting in the hours, that will come out on top!
Richard:
It is interesting to think of how we have to constantly rearrange our priorities. I used to paint and haven't for the past five years and also read (for pleasure) at least an hour or two a day. That's gone too. But, not to complain - there are only so many hours in the day.
I hate the thought that your beautiful photos are sitting there when they could be seen by all. Hopefully you will find the time to get some of them to us.
Richard, The winter months are traditionally our catch up time for things like that. C.E. courses online, prepping for the spring, etc. The spring/summer season is just too busy for "optional" activities.
Slowly but surely, I've been migrating mine to a 500 gig remote. I'm using an alpha-numeric system that sorts by year, month and date...
Good Morning Richard
Thanks for the post. Have a great day.
I know the feeling. I have thousands of pictures that need the same service. I just keep blogging and serving customers at the present time.
Richard...I do my best to edit photos the day I take them...resize or delete them, then on to the next task at hand. I am afraid I'll get behind if I don't do it now, so off to work!
Richard,
I am so far behind I'll never catch up. One of the downsides of digital photography.
Rich
Wow, I'm surprised at the number of comments:
Gary...
I know that I can't forget about work. It's a curse at times, isn't it? Thanks so much.
Chuck...
Sometimes even more ... I have so many mandatory tasks to do that the clock just spins! Thanks for the comment.
Holly...
It really is shocking. Thanks for jumping in this morning.
Paula...
Too many, I think. Thanks so much for your support.
Eleen...
It takes more and more time to compete with the large aggregator sites. Thanks.
Good for perspective. Not having free time always beats having all of your time be free time. Technology's supposed to help us work smarter, not harder. So we need to find ways to make out tools work for our advantage always.
Richard.....that's an incredible amount of hours to spend every week....that's equivalent to two full time jobs.....
Richard, I don't know if I work as many hours as you but I do put in lots. Meeting with clients, preparing listings, posting blogs and planning training classes. I know it will pay off. I keep hearing that the market share we gain in the down market will be ours when the market comes back.
Richard you know you ought to publish a book of all the pictures you have taken. You could separate by category. I know times are depressed right now, but when the economy comes back up you may be able to sell some of them
But think a little further...wouldn't it be a great thing for your great-great grand kids to have? I think it would be an awesome thing to leave your children's, children's, children.
Coming to you from Texas,,,
I am way behind in putting family photos away. I used to be very good at this. yes, I am busy at work, but in my free time, I tend to read and let everything else go!
Richard....It would not be so badf if we got paid for half the hours that we work.
Nice to hear that you're busy Richard. Don't worry about those photographs. There will be a time to sort and organize them. But hopefully not too soon! Until then, keep selling!
Richard - Katie bar the door! when it comes to deciding between photos and finishing the season. May you roll hay into the barn up until the last minute
Richard - it sounds like your resizing efforts on the photos ceased about the time you got involved with Active Rain. More productive in the long run I would assume!
What an awful outcome to game last night - yikes! It was exciting to watch, I usually can't stay awake to watch the end of the Monday night games - not last night - those eyes were WIDE open! Now I have lots of ribbing to take from family and friends in Chicagoland. Ugh.
Everything, every step of the home buying and selling process, seems to take more time. Think how large that cache of photos will be by the time you get to work on it! Daunting, Richard.
Sounds like business is brisk in your Cowetta Georgia area, Richard. Continued success. By the way, you have a fantastic collection of photos. One day, you'll get them all sorted & resized. Good luck!