Kayla Johnson

By: Kayla Johnson

I can proudly say that I’m officially one of those moms that have to juggle everything.

Being an active real estate agent in this market already comes equipped with its dose of chaos, but I invite you to try managing that with a six-week-old baby. It’s insane! – but doable (trust me). Honestly, pregnancy has been the biggest eye-opener of my career thus far. Just like when seasoned agents tell you to take a vacation and your business will bloom, having a bun in the oven has the same effect.

Pregnancy allows you to be selfish, which is unheard of in an industry where clients require instant gratification. But, what was I gonna do… ignore the doctors’ orders? Absolutely not! I owed it to myself and the baby to get enough sleep and nutrition (the protein bars in the car don’t count). While finding the time to take care of us, I found a new schedule and set boundaries that didn’t exist before.

Kayla Johnson’s baby, Elliott

This was the shift my mindset and business practices needed. Although I took several months off to focus on my health and the safe delivery of my son, I’m back now with a renewed sense of purpose and motivation. Those For Sale By Owner calls that I would procrastinate to complete, I’m now tackling first thing in the morning because my “accountability partner” needs another bottle and a fresh diaper as soon as the call ends.

Some colleagues have suggested that I take maternity leave, but the beauty of being in this business is that we create our schedules. I don’t have to work an 18-hour day to be a top agent in my local market. Additionally, I don’t have to stop working in an industry I love to prove to people that I can also be a great mother. I’ve learned to ask for help from my brokerage, friends and family to achieve it all. There are plenty of tools available to make business easier.

Either way, for the soon-to-be real estate moms or even the agent struggling to find the “perfect” work/life balance, please remember that life is much bigger than real estate. Take care of yourself and be good to yourself.