Several years ago I stumbled upon Asana, a new task management software designed for small businesses. I had the staff try it out, and it quickly became our tool of choice. It has almost eliminated internal email, and allows me to see the status of projects and tasks without bothering my staff. But we’ve also found Asana to be a great tool for real estate brokers. Here are a few of the best ways our brokers are using Asana to get their lives in order.

Listing & Buying Templates

Too many brokers try to re-invent the wheel every time they get a listing. They try to remember all the things they did last time and track what they think of on a scrap of paper (or worse – in their head). With Asana you can make a master list of everything that has to happen with every new client: arranging the stagers, calling the photographer, setting up the sign, etc. Once you have your master list in a project, click “Use as a Template” to create a new project you can name after the current client. At RE/MAX SELECT we’ve gone so far as to cultivate two sample lists (one for sellers and one for buyers) that our brokers can copy and paste into their templates as a starting point. They get to edit the list to match their process, and they never have to waste time trying to remember what to do with a new client.

Assign Tasks to Your Future Self

One of the problems I see brokers struggle with all the time is tasks that they can’t complete yet. They can’t send out the inspection response because the inspection isn’t for another week, they can’t order business cards until after they get their new headshots, they can’t start their farming campaign until school starts, etc. With Asana, you have the option to assign a date to any task. Once it has a date, you can move the task from your “Today” section into “Upcoming” or “Later.” When the due date arrives, Asana will automatically push the task right up to the top again. This allows you to get it out of your way while ensuring it still gets done.

Batch Tasks with Tags

Making tags such as “Calls” or “Errands” allows you to tag tasks that are best done all at the same time. When it’s time to run errands, all you have to do is click on the tag to see everything you added as an errand. No more wasted gas, no more wasted time. You may find other areas in your life where batching is helpful. Maybe you have dual authentication and it’s a pain to login to your bank account. Why not tag all banking tasks so you only have to log in once a week?

Store Long-Term Ideas in Projects

Make a project for books you want to read, or movies you want to watch. Make a project to capture all your ideas for the porch remodel, or that marketing plan you’re hoping to start in the fall. Whatever it is, make a project in Asana and have a central place to store all your ideas and thoughts. Once it’s time to start on the project, just assign the individual tasks to yourself and they’ll pop up on your main to-do list.

Asana is free for individuals, works in any browser, and has a matching phone app. The best way to understand how it works is to make an account and start adding tasks, so I encourage you to try it out. You may be shocked by how much time it can save you.