I'm open 8am-6PM Mon-Fri Appt only Sat and closed Sundays.

SUNDAYS ARE FAMILY DAYS. NO PHONE, NO TECH.

Unless pre-booked to work past 6PM, my bride can count on me to be home for dinner by 6:30PM.

When my son had footbal games I was "already booked on a client appointment; I can offer these two alternative choices."

My clients know this when they hire me.

My boundaries are set day one and they hire me or they don't.

I honor my boundaries or my clients won't. Advice from a divorced & remarried man who had no boundaries early in his career.

Return calls at designated time & make sure it's quiet. Nothing like having screaming toddlers in the background making it soooo professional.

Block time on your calendar - it works wonders, Wiley! 

It's tough but we have to select our priority.  You can always set your work hours and let you clients know.

I think as busy as I get I still have more flexibility than when I worked corporate. I commuted round-trip 3.5 hours a day to work in the city. Add in a minimum of a 45 hour work week & there was not much time left. I consider myself lucky to get to work from home. If my wife or kids need me they can come in my office & get me & I'll breakaway for awhile. 

   Set business hours!    Let your clients know this up front.  Put it on your website.

    On weekdays I can be reached by phone from 10AM Eastern time until 8PM.

   On Saturdays the phone goes off at 6PM

   Weekdays, the phone is off during lunch hour.

   Sundays we are closed.

   We observe 12 holidays during the year.

    There is life outside of real estate!

Everyone is struggling with work/family/pleasure balance...... 

it does get easier as they get older and more controllable!!!  eventually, when they heard the phone ring, they would tone it down...alot.... 

prior to that, I had to deal with it.... 

Although we have been drowning in messages that today's society demands INSTANT GRATIFICATION, that does not mean one must sacrifice their family at the alter of commerce.

I have found that what folks really want is an understanding of what to expect.   That means when you are unable to answer the call, what EXACTLY can they expect to happen?  Assuage that concern and you will be able to balance family obligations, meet expectations of business, and feel good about the whole process.

Make the voice greeting, auto-responder and website align with your life obligations and don't drop the ball on delivering the expectation you established.

For example my phone message to a call received at 10 am contains, '..... and I will call you back at 11 am or 5pm, whichever occurs first...."

I have a set schedule but do find I work after hours and weekends often. It's hard.

No kids. Scheduling of activities is crucial but not always easy (nothing worthwhile is usually easy, right?). Good luck. 

I no longer have kids at home, but that is irrelevant. You're asking about balancing work time with personal time. It's easy... at a certain point in time each day, I shut the phone and computer off... I make sure my clients understand what my work schedule is at the beginning of the relationship. So unless I'm in negotiations or have an appointment for a conversation outside of my work hours, they know I'm not calling back till the next day.

It's not easy.

Schedule your family time as you schedule other appointments. 

Luckily my son was young before cell phones and email. Now, not so sure! 

I know of some agents that have on their voice mail, they will return calls only between 11 and 12 and from 7 to 8 at night

I think that is why the average age of the REALTOR is older.    It is tough, and have had conversations with co-oping agents with screaming kids in the background.

It's not just kids, it's ife in general. Everyone has life they presumably want to balance against the business of real estate. Time blocking can work well, and of course setting expectations.

Control the day or it will control you.  Establish boundaries and discuss expectations.  

My kids are grownups. Not sure how I would have handled this job when they were young.

I think women in  real estate with young kids have the toughest job imaginable. Up to make breakfast for the family; make school lunches for the kids; get them off to school; work the day in real estate; make dinner; do dishes; put kids to bed; and more. And repeat day after day. Whew!

It is never how much tie but the quality of that time,

My poodle is a child that is very needy. Seriously, not having children makes this so much easier. I respect those who can do both.

Block time for different things.

I don't have kids, so I tend to work as late as I want to.

If you can't be a time manager and multi tasker you're in the wrong business.

I think Thomas J. Nelson, Realtor, ePRO, CRS, RCS-D gave you an excellent answer.  A

Monday - Friday 7am to 3pm - closed Weekends (except by prior appointment) and Holidays.

Time management.  Allowing the dog to wag the tail and not let the tail wag the dog. 

Kids, I don't have any.

My family knows the business and that i have to work often when others are not. I do shut my cell phone off on the aut feature for Iphone from 9pm to 7am. I do answer emails anytime i am awake

It was extremely difficult for me since I did not have much help, but the good news, they are growing fast.... too fast. 

Already been there, done that, Wiley Close II. 

I have always found plenty of jobs around the company to keep the kids involved, and some of them still work here.

You set boundaries for everything that you need done. It is your business and you can run it how you want. We are all human, and if some people can't accept that, then maybe you do not need to accept them.