You’re right. Your appraisal volume is overwhelming.
“Focus you must, or pain you will feel.”
Yoda
Confessions of a stressed-out appraiser, “I struggled with managing my time…so I thought. I discovered I wasn’t taking control of my attention and allowed too many distractions.” Carve out time for deep-dive work.
What’s going on right now in your head? Scanning this blog for five seconds, checking email, reading texts and maybe bouncing back to email? We all know that multi-tasking is a lie, but we all continue to do it. Robbing us of valuable focus time.
Whether you’re an appraiser working for a financial institution or a fee appraiser. You’re both busy, very busy. That’s why I found our most recent FIVA (Financial Institution Valuation Advisors) webinar particularly well timed. Rachel Revill presented the topic of productivity and mindset.
I met Rachel when she was working as a professional concierge, helping busy executives. She explained that a concierge isn’t just running errands, but creating systems. Bringing structure to their lives and optimizing their productivity resulting in enjoying more time, freedom, and peace of mind.
Busyness vs. Effectiveness
Technology alone isn’t the solution to productivity. When it’s wrapped with customized processes is where results are realized. At RealWired, we understand the frustrations of the fee appraiser and bank appraiser alike. Providing productivity software to both, along with access to best practices, facilitates addressing the overwhelming appraisal volume.
Slow Turn-around Times
One issue at the forefront, is slow turnaround times. Two weeks used to be a typical turnaround time for a commercial appraisal. For some, it’s currently 4 to 6 weeks. However, those appraisal firms with documented processes and well implemented software are quoting 12 to 14 business days, not a month plus.
Those that lack infrastructure are feeling the pain of working late, working weekends and struggling to meet deadlines. Banks that lack appraisal and environmental workflow are feeling the pressure of worrying about appraisals falling through the cracks. Reports that were never ordered, creating lender conflict.
Even those appraisal departments with a workflow platform, lacking the appropriate reporting adds additional pressure to not be able to communicate to the lending side their performance numbers.
Intentional and Empowered
Rachel asks, “What could you achieve if you were intentional and empowered to control your focus and use your energy efficiently? You can become the architect of your own focus-management system.” She suggests focus and attention management is one of the most important skills to master for productivity. You have to be intentional in aligning your actions to achieve max productivity without multi-tasking fatigue, leading to accelerated growth.
Time Management Mindset
With focus, you can decide to go on a diet right in the middle of eating a bag of chips.
Reducing distractions increases productivity. Prioritizing decisions and actions to achieve maximum results. This will create new routines and habitual efficiencies.
The following is Rachel’s title illustrating what she’s putting out into the universe. Her skill set.
Attention Management | Productivity Specialist | Helping Organizations and Individuals Develop Effective Organizational Productivity Systems | Time Management | Prioritize Efficiency | Transform Mindset
Try this at your office. Add a title to your existing one to embody the mindset the title provides.
New Job Titles
Kathy Rodriguez, MAI |Chief Appraiser | Productivity Specialist
Joe Belmont, SVP, Credit Risk Officer | Transform Mindset
Steve Sheridan, State Certified General Appraiser | Time Management
Secrets of Productivity & Time Management
- Do your deep work: the tasks and projects that require your greatest attention and effort
- Prioritize competing demands for your attention and commit to them
- Identify your peak performance time when your energy and attention levels are highest
- Move effectively from one task to another without attention loss
- Minimize distractions that steal your focus
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the current appraisal volume, you’re right. Your appraisal volume is overwhelming. Consider when you focus on problems, you’ll have more problems. When you focus on possibilities, you’ll have more opportunities. Listen to Rachel, “I meet you where you are, to help you get where you want to be.”
