Want More Real Estate Success? Physical Exercise Works Wonders

Real estate is a stressful profession as well as a stressful life transition. Whether you are a Real Estate Buyer, Real Estate Seller or Real Estate Agent we all need to be reminded how important it is to have a healthy Mind-Body.

Dr. Michael Merzenich states in his book SOFTWIRED: Research has shown that doing at least 30 minutes of physical exercise each day confers substantial neurological benefits. Physical exercise increases cerebral blood flow and who wouldn’t want more oxygen delivered to their brain? It also stimulates the release of those chemicals that are released from your ‘dimmer switch,’ and who wouldn’t want to have the lights turned up just a little higher?

What I personally think works best for our Mind-Body is to be in nature whenever possible. So walking, hiking and biking are high on my list, especially if you change routes, your speed, breath and terrain. Also, understand that although you may prefer to listen to music, from a brain perspective you are losing a health opportunity when you tune out. Instead focus on the world around you by continually looking, listening and smelling. Using all your senses will engage your brain, that complex neurological-muscular network, more. By adjusting to the ever changing environment around you, your brain will be better prepared to solve the frequent surprises which occur in real estate sales.

Scientifically speaking, the neurotransmitter, acetylene, will kick when you are surprised, followed by acetylcholine, when you intensely focus and dopamine if you are successful in mastering a new task. All these neurotransmitters help aid your brain, improving your learning, your joy and your success. Please refer to my last chapter in SECRETS OF A TOP SALESPERSON – How Emotions Make or Break the Sale to understand the importance of neurotransmitters and rewiring your brain for success.

If you don’t have the time or energy for an extended outside activity, try walking barefoot on a beach, meadow or even in your backyard. This practice is excellent for fine neurological balance control. There are 26 bones in your feet, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles per Michael Merzenich. Hard-soled shoes just do not give us the posture discipline or sensual pleasure that comes from actually feeling your feet on the earthy ground.

Granted we cannot always exercise in nature so what other workouts help your brain whether you are a buyer, seller or real estate agent? Swimming, dancing and/or aerobic exercise routines are great, especially when the routines constantly change which forces your brain to work harder. Plus, here is an opportunity to introduce music for your sensory auditory pleasure.  Any ball-in-motion games such as tennis, badminton, ping pong and even Wii games require fast visual tracking and will force your brain to move your eyes which leads to more flexible motor responses. Note how all these exercises are enlisting your senses, neurological musculature and your analytical brain. The whole of you is involved not just bit and pieces.

A hint for those exercise machine enthusiasts – I do not believe isolating muscle groups is nearly as good as engaging your whole body. It is like solving a problem thousands of times using the same approach over and over again. It certainly does not challenge your brain the way the changing environment does. Plus, repetitive movement can result in injury. For example, I kept wondering why I had to go to a physical therapist for lower back pain. The reason: I was doing too many crunches and not enlisting the muscles of my back to help my abdominals.

If you really insist on using exercise equipment, avoid stereotypic repetitive movements. Instead change it up: Use different angles and speeds, sometimes breathe in and other times breathe out. If doing the same exercise, do it with eyes closed, then eyes looking left and then eyes looking to the right. Reach for nearby targets in different ways. Most of all monitor the quality of your movements.

Your goal is to re-engage, re-structure and re-strengthen your body as well as your mind. The wonderful thing about physical exercise and real estate is that one never completely masters either, but we can keep getting better in developing our skills and gaining more and more confidence, joy and success.