Podcast Summary

Overview

Episode: Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada, Episode 780: "Five Questions That Expose Busywork"
Host: Tristan Ahumada
Date: January 18, 2026
Length: ~5 minutes

In this energizing episode, Tristan Ahumada zeroes in on the simple but transformative practice of end-of-day reflection for real estate professionals. He introduces five potent questions designed to help agents distinguish meaningful action from busywork, fueling consistent business growth while fostering personal development and mindful work habits.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Real Trap of "Busywork"

• Opening Reflection [00:00-00:28]
  • Tristan observes that most agents end their day exhausted, unsure if their work truly mattered. They’re caught in a loop—"that’s not a career, that’s a treadmill."
  • The difference between agents who build businesses and those stuck in this cycle? A few minutes of honest, focused self-reflection.

The Five Transformative Daily Questions

1. Relationship Activity

"Who did you connect with today?" [01:50]

• Not just tracking leads, but reflecting on genuine conversations and value exchange—a reminder this is a people business.
• Examine not only connections, but also the quality and lessons learned from those interactions.
• Quote:

  "Sometimes we forget because we're going transaction to transaction... but it's a people business. You have to connect. You have to build these amazing relationships." — Tristan [02:18]

2. Revenue Generating Actions

"What did you actually do that moves your business forward?" [03:18]

• Honest auditing of activities like calls, appointments, offers, contracts versus just staying “busy.”
• Focus on prioritizing revenue-generating tasks above less critical ones.
• Quote:

  "Honest accounting of activity versus busy work. That's a tough one." — Tristan [03:44]

• Tip: Post these priorities somewhere visible to stay focused.

3. Lessons and Adjustments

"What worked, what didn’t, what would you do differently?" [04:08]

• Periodic self-review drives growth.
• Tristan recommends rotating through these five questions rather than answering all daily: "Start Monday, do the relationship one. Tuesday, do the revenue generating one. Wednesday, the lessons and adjustments..." [04:27]
• Examples: Productive open house strategy vs. wasted time on email.

4. Wins and Gratitude

"What was a small win today? What am I proud of?" [05:16]

• Celebrating even minor achievements fends off burnout and sustains motivation.
• Can be practiced morning (“what was I proud of yesterday?”) or evening.
• Quote:

  "Even small ones. Especially small ones. This prevents the never enough mindset that burns agents out and keeps you grounded in progress." — Tristan [05:20]

5. Tomorrow’s Intentions

"What are 1-3 specific priorities for tomorrow?" [05:41]

• Set focused, high-impact priorities (not just a generic task list) based on big-picture goals.
• Increases momentum and clarity for the next workday.
• Quote:

  "This is not a task list. This is different... The most important things. These are priorities." — Tristan [05:53]

• Reinforces planning weekly to align daily intentions with broader business strategies.

Practical Advice for Implementation

• Cycle Through Questions (Don’t Overwhelm Yourself) [04:35]
  • Address one question each day rather than trying to tackle all five at once.
• Journaling as a Keystone Habit [06:14]
  • Regular recording of these reflections is the most powerful, underutilized tool agents have for personal and business growth.
  • Tristan offers to share the list of questions with listeners who reach out.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the treadmill of unexamined work:

  "Most agents end their day the same way, exhausted, wondering where the time went, with no idea if any of it actually mattered." — Tristan [00:00]

• On honest self-accounting:

  "Did you actually go to the priorities that you know generate more business for you... or are you going the other way?" — Tristan [03:26]

• On not doing it all at once:

  "You're not going to take all of these every single day. I would circulate through them... that would take you probably 30 minutes or more." — Tristan [04:27]

• Closing encouragement:

  "Momentum in the right direction in journaling, the most powerful thing that you can do that you're probably not doing well enough." — Tristan [06:14]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – The daily treadmill: why agents feel stuck and tired
• 01:50 – First question: Relationship activity
• 03:18 – Second question: Revenue generating actions
• 04:08 – Third question: Lessons and adjustments
• 05:16 – Fourth question: Wins and gratitude
• 05:41 – Fifth question: Tomorrow’s intentions
• 06:14 – Summary and journaling advice

Final Takeaways

Tristan’s five simple but deep daily questions offer a framework that is both practical and mindset-shifting, aimed at real estate agents but applicable to anyone seeking better results through greater self-awareness. By spending just a few minutes focused at the end of each day, agents can move from blindly busy to purposefully productive — with less burnout, more clarity, and stronger, people-focused businesses.

Are you journaling yet? Tristan wants to hear from you!

For the detailed five-question reflection template, reach out to Tristan as mentioned at the end of the episode.