If you’ve been following me for some time now, you know that I preach the importance of taking online courses to boost your career as a real estate agent. In fact, it’s one of my top tips that I give newer agents. But don’t put your feet up and relax too quickly…online learning still requires time management skills, discipline, and motivation to be successful, even though you can do it from your couch (if you really wish to). Keep reading for my top tips to get the most out of your online course as a real estate agent.

Figure Out How You Learn Best

There is no right or wrong answer to which learning style is best for you — the important thing is to better understand what strategies work best for you, and lean into them. See some learning styles below, and ask yourself if you fit into any of these categories:

• Visual: do you find that you learn best by seeing?
• Auditory: do things stick better for you when you hear them said out loud? Reading/writing: are you able to better commit something to memory when you’re reading, or through the muscle memory of writing it out yourself? 
• Physical: do you learn best when you’re moving and doing things?

Understanding your learning style can help you determine what types of online courses you should enroll into, and what types of activities you should use to center your studying around. If you learn best through writing, take a million notes! If you learn best through hearing, record your sessions and listen to them over and over again! Explore different tactics and see which ones drive the best results for you over time.

Treat it like a “real” course

You wouldn’t show up to your in-person class in your pajamas (or would you?). So don’t wear your pajamas to your online class! Without the pressure of seeing your professor and peers face-to-face, it’s easy to fall into bad and lazy habits. To avoid this, treat your online course like a typical in-person class. Enforce a routine the same way you would if your class were in person: wake up at the same time every day, eat breakfast, put on “normal” clothes, and attend your class. Brush your hair, drink your coffee or tea, and sit up straight! Sticking to a typical routine will have a big effect on your motivation.

Participate

Breaking the ice in an online course can sometimes be awkward, but it’s essential for your learning. I can’t tell you how many courses I’ve taken where people keep their cameras turned off and their mics muted. Try to speak up and participate in course discussions and group activities. It will allow you to network, come across as a leader, and will help you with your public speaking skills. There’s no better place to get over stage fright then in a class setting where everybody is in the same boat. Your teacher will be relieved you are speaking up, and your classmates will see you as approachable and someone they’ll want to connect with.

Don’t Procrastinate

You! Must! Not! Procrastinate! This can be a challenging thing for online students to overcome, but you have to give it your very best shot. It can be difficult to hold yourself accountable without regular in-person class meetings and a professor shooting you dirty looks. But procrastination can lead to a terrible night of cramming, only to result in subpar results. 

Create a detailed plan of action for finishing your work. Use a calendar system and mark all due dates for the entire course so you don’t encounter any sneaky deadlines. 

Use procrastination apps on your computer or phone to block you from certain sites (ahem, Instagram) to help you stay focused. Remember that in the end, you are paying for this course. If you do not get the maximum value due to not taking it seriously, you have only yourself to blame. That’s the real tea!

Signing up for real estate courses is a great way to learn new skills, grow your network, and gain knowledge without breaking the bank. Click here to reserve your spot in my upcoming webinar to learn how to grow your business fast. Also check out my recent post on time management tips to help you tackle your online real estate courses.