If you scroll through my Instagram, you may notice a few things. One, I’m in real estate. Two, I’m on the brink of mercury poisoning with the amount of sushi I consume. And lastly, and most recently, I go on as many adventures as humanly possible. And while the first two things have been very consistent for as long as I know, the last item has been all but recent. And the best part is, I’m making more money because of it.

I used to think that working 24/7 was the only way to succeed, so much so that in 2015, I spoke to an audience of 4500 people in Australia bragging about the hundreds hours I worked each week, explaining how that’s the road to becoming successful. Needless to say, I wasn’t invited back to speak there.

It was pretty simple to me; More hours meant more work output which meant more money. I slaved day in and day out and my friends, boyfriends and family understood that it was just “how I was”. I was proud to tell people that I worked as much as I did, as though to prove that all work and no play was something to strive for. I loved and still passionately love what I do, and I know that I’m extremely lucky to be able to say that because the reality is, most people aren’t able to. But sometimes, the love of work isn’t enough and in 2016 after burning out completely, I realized things had to change.

I’m into action and execution–you can either complain about your life situation, or you can change it. And as soon as I realized things had to change, I got myself in gear to make that happen. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m still a self proclaimed (and proud) workaholic that has my iphone attached to the hip, but in a digital age where many times the best deals are done remotely, I am able to incorporate “fun” in my life. And once I started to allow myself to do that, my business increased by over 400%–and here’s why:

 1.  I’m meeting more people and networking in a natural setting based off of my interests.

It’s amazing the people you meet when you leave your office/workspace and not only am I meeting cool people, but I’m also talking about my business (and in this case, my real estate listings) in a natural setting.

Fun fact, people like to know there’s more to you than just work (and it took me years to figure that out).

Case in point–Last week in NYC, I met a new buyer looking to properties in a million dollar price point while I was having a drink with a friend at a cool lounge.

2.  Because I’m in settings I enjoy, I’m meeting people I enjoy working with.

I have a strict policy of not working with assholes.

I pride myself on this policy because let’s face it, nobody likes to work with an asshole. They’ll bring you down, make you less productive, and also take you away from your amazing clients and other potential positive opportunities. When I’m in settings I enjoy, generally, I’m meeting other like-minded people–people I want to have as clients and I’m excited to work with.

3.  I’m giving myself the opportunity to enjoy life, which in turn, helps me have a positive and happy business outlook and environment.

I’m not exactly the poster child for what it is to have a “balanced” life. I don’t believe anyone can be perfectly balanced as that’s not reality. Sometimes you have to work more than you play and vice versa. I think to be balanced, you have to give attention where needed. When I found myself burnt out, I knew I needed to give myself attention,

and when you’re an entrepreneur like myself, you and your wellbeing are everything–because you are your business.

I caught myself having smileless days and mentally exhausted, and when you’re trying to build an empire, you simply don’t have time for that. And now, every time I’m doing anything from a dinner with friends, a grand excursion, a showing or listing appointment or a business meeting, I focus on being as present as possible which in turn, helps me truly enjoy what’s in front of me. I come back to work refreshed, hungry, and happy–ready to kick ass, take over the world…and of course, schedule my next adventure.

Sam