This module is all about how to balance your day, take a break when needed and manage the handover process with your colleagues and clients to ensure a great experience is had by them, and a great holiday is had by you (because you could switch off!)
Table of Contents
The importance of taking breaks
You don’t have to be a basketball fan to know the name LeBron James. Did you know LeBron places immense importance on rest and recovery to sustain his exceptional performance and longevity in the NBA. He reportedly aims for up to 8-10 hours of sleep daily, combining a full night's rest with daytime naps, to ensure his body fully recuperates.
LeBron said : "Sleep is the best way for your body to physically and emotionally be able to recover and get back to 100 percent as quick as possible.”
Different ways to take a break
Let’s talk day to day. Now that you have been through the modules on setting up the ideal day it’s important to focus on a key area, and that is work life balance. So following from the theme above, and not that he is by any stretch of the imagination and Athlete, but our Head of Growth, James, blocks 1 hour every day in his calendar to go to the gym. He also blocks time to play with his kids in the morning, and he has a hard cut off at 5pm to do dinner with the family.
Without fail he will ensure that a small slice of his day is dedicated to his personal goals in order to be at his best for all our professional aspirations. And he isn’t alone, we have a culture her of working to the outcome, not the clock. Now, this does mean that he is ‘on’ from 7am - 8pm, but it’s because he has spread his day out to fit his lifestyle and our business needs.
As long as you meet your KPIs then how and when you work are yours to manage.
Here are some examples of ways you can bring balance into your working days, as well as the important of utilising Annual leave:
Throughout your day
- Block time for lunch
- Find a slot that works for you to do something active
- Block time to grab some sun (or surf, or bush)
- Take care of life admin and the chores around the house
- Watch your favourite teams / players
- Banter on WhatsApp
- School pick ups and drop offs with a buffer
Being ahead of target
- Why not reward yourself for reaching your target early? Take a day for yourself and complete that hike you have been thinking about going to the beach, lying down and listening to the waves crash, whatever it is, go do it, you deserve it!
Annual leave
- You will not take enough leave. The nature of the work means you will feel the obligation to always be there for your clients, but if you can’t switch off across the year and really step away, then you will burn out and be unable to deliver the quality of service you (and our clients) expect of yourself. Annual leave is there to be used, so use it!
What about my targets? 🎯
Don’t worry we got you! As we mentioned in link you’re covered:
If a staff member takes annual leave (or other leave relevant to the Acquisitions manager discretion) during the month, their target will be adjusted based on the number of working days in that month.
For example: If there are 22 working days in the month with a target of 6 purchases, that’s about 1 purchase every 3.66 days. If the staff member takes 7 working days off, their target would be adjusted to 4 purchases (15 working days / 3.66 days).
How do I go on leave?
When you take a break we want you to do so knowing you don’t have to worry about anything. The below process ensures that happens and you can have the rest and recharge you need.
This handover process is to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities, tasks, and knowledge from one individual or team to another. This process is crucial when an employee is leaving a position, transferring to a different role, or going on an extended leave.
Your divisional leader will work with you to decide who will look after your clients and deals while you are away.
To ensure a smooth handover, use the Handover Checklist to tick off and complete all necessary steps, refer to the State by State Guideline for key legal and process differences, and rely on the Client Handover Sheet for detailed information on active deals and clients. These tools will help you stay organized, informed, and ready to seamlessly take over responsibilities and hand them back over with detailed updates.
Here’s the steps below:
Step 1: Complete the checklist
This document explains what steps to take to ensure a smooth, thorough process and the tick off tasks as you complete them and continue until the checklist is finished.
Step 2: Follow the guidelines
Each state has its own processes and laws, which can pose challenges if the PAA handling your deals is unfamiliar with them. Refer to the document below to understand these differences, key considerations, and how to manage them effectively.
Step 3: Complete the client handover sheet
Here’s the list of all the active deals and clients with all the need to know information to be able to take over and pick up where your colleague left off. While your colleague is away refer to this document and leave your notes as things progress.
What to say, who to say it to and how?
Below are templates that you can follow to manage the communication of leave events
Phone
Thank you for your email, I am on annual leave from (date to date). Please contact (PAA (s) on (email & phone number) in my absence. I am looking forward to speaking to you when I am back!
Auto-reply SMS to send to calls for while you are on leave - same message as OOO email.
Hi it’s (Name) from InvestorKit, I am currently on annual leave and will be returning on (Date) for anything urgent please contact (PAA name) on (email address) Thank you!
Script
Update your voicemail to say you are on annual leave and when you will be back.
I wanted to give you an update before I finish on (Insert Day) with how everything is tracking. (Offers, Negotiation, Exchange, P & B, Finance, Solicitor, Uncon, Settlement as some ideas here) if you would like to discuss anything please let me know.
Courtesy message to you to let you know, I will be on annual leave from (date to date). Please contact (PAA (s) on (email & phone number) in my absence. You are in good hands with (PAA member name). (PAA name) has been with InvestorKit for X time and their position is X.
Hi (Name)
Email Third Parties i.e P & B Inspectors, Lawyers, Accountants etc.
Courtesy email to let everyone know, I am on annual leave from (date to date). Please contact (PAA (s) on (email & phone number) in my absence. I am looking forward to speaking to you when I am back!
Hi Everyone,
Email IKIT team - allstaff@investorkit.com.au
Thank you for your email, I am on annual leave from (date to date). Please contact (PAA (s) on (email & phone number) in my absence. I am looking forward to speaking to you when I am back!
Out of office message for GMail.
WhatsApp:
Annual leave message in ‘About’ section
I am on annual leave until X date - Please contact X on (phone number) in my absence, looking forward to speaking to you when I am back!
Message sent to clients & agents ,who are between property drops-settlement
Hi (Client (s),
Courtesy message to you to let you know, I will be on annual leave from (date to date). Please contact (PAA (s) on (email & phone number) in my absence. You are in good hands with (PAA member name). (PAA name) has been with InvestorKit for X time and their position is X.
I wanted to give you an update before I finish on (Insert Day) with how everything is tracking. (Offers, Negotiation, Exchange, P & B, Finance, Solicitor, Uncon, Settlement as some ideas here) if you would like to discuss anything please let me know.
Something Urgent Comes Up:
Note: This will need to be adjusted accordingly to the situation:
Hi (Client (s),
I wanted to send a courtesy message to you to let you know, Kevin is currently expecting a baby anyday now (which is really exciting!)
To ensure that everything is taken care of for you, I'll be stepping in to assist whenever Kevin isn't available. My name is Mehul, I'm a Senior Property Acquisitions Analyst the same as Kev and will be here for you.
Kevin is bringing my up to speed with your situation but in the mean time, is there anything urgent that I can assist with now?
Thank you
What’s the last steps?
After completing all the tasks listed, please attach your finalised spreadsheets and documents to the final email and send it to Stephen (steve@investorkit.com.au) and the relevant PAA team member(s) for the handover.
NOTE: This must be completed before you go on annual leave.
One more to go, what a legend! You should be so proud of yourself for getting this far. Let’s look at this last tips and information to help you be the best PAA you can be:
Learning Competency Checklist
1. Understanding the Importance of Taking Breaks
- Competency: Demonstrate a clear understanding of why regular breaks and sufficient rest are critical to sustained high performance.
- Pass Criteria:
- Explains the concept using examples (e.g., LeBron James’s rest and recovery practices) and articulates how rest supports both physical and mental well‑being.
- Identifies how breaks help maintain productivity and prevent burnout.
- Fail Criteria:
- Cannot clearly articulate the benefits of breaks or underestimates their importance.
- Overlooks the connection between rest and sustained professional performance.
2. Implementing Daily Break Strategies
- Competency: Show how to integrate regular breaks into a daily work routine to promote work‑life balance.
- Pass Criteria:
- Lists several practical examples of daily break strategies (e.g., blocking time for lunch, exercise, outdoor time, personal tasks, and even brief social interactions).
- Explains how these activities contribute to overall productivity and well‑being.
- Fail Criteria:
- Fails to identify or suggest effective break activities.
- Does not connect daily breaks with improved focus or performance.
3. Recognizing the Value of Annual Leave
- Competency: Understand and communicate why taking annual leave is essential for long‑term success and preventing burnout.
- Pass Criteria:
- Describes how continuous work without proper leave can lead to burnout and reduced service quality.
- Explains that using annual leave ensures employees can recharge and return with renewed energy.
- Fail Criteria:
- Does not emphasize the importance of disconnecting from work regularly.
- Fails to connect leave usage with long‑term productivity and client service quality.
4. Adjusting Targets When on Leave
- Competency: Demonstrate an understanding of how work targets should be adjusted when a staff member takes leave.
- Pass Criteria:
- Clearly explains that targets are adjusted based on the number of working days in a month (e.g., using the provided example to calculate adjusted purchase targets).
- Shows that targets are flexible and tied to actual working time rather than a fixed number.
- Fail Criteria:
- Is unaware of or cannot explain the process for adjusting targets when leave is taken.
- Believes that targets remain unchanged regardless of leave.
5. Executing a Smooth Leave Handover Process
- Competency: Demonstrate how to ensure a seamless transition of responsibilities when going on leave.
- Pass Criteria:
- Lists and explains the key components of the handover process, including completing a handover checklist, following state‑specific guidelines, and updating the client handover sheet.
- Understands the importance of detailed documentation and clear communication with colleagues and clients to maintain continuity.
- Fail Criteria:
- Omits essential handover steps or provides incomplete documentation, risking disruption in client service.
- Is unable to explain how the handover process protects both the team and client relationships.
6. Communicating Leave and Handover Details Effectively
- Competency: Show proficiency in using multiple communication channels (phone, email, WhatsApp) to inform clients, agents, and colleagues of your leave status and handover details.
- Pass Criteria:
- Uses structured templates for phone calls, emails, and WhatsApp messages that clearly state leave dates, designated backup contacts, and provide guidance on who to contact in your absence.
- Demonstrates the ability to customize messages based on different stakeholders (clients, agents, internal teams).
- Fail Criteria:
- Sends unclear or inconsistent messages that do not adequately inform all parties of the leave arrangements.
- Fails to ensure that backup contacts and handover instructions are clearly communicated.