Tom Sumner - May/June 2025 edition
Daily routines, boundaries, and mindset shifts that actually work
Time is your most valuable asset. But for us property investors, especially those of us spinning multiple plates, it feels like there's never enough of it. The pressure to perform, grow your business, lead a team, and still find time for your family and health is relentless.
What I've learned is that success isn't about how hard you work, it's about how well you protect your energy, how strategically you plan your days, and how ruthlessly you prioritise what matters. In this article, I'll explain how I manage my time and headspace in the chaos of daily life, avoid burnout, operate at a higher level, and lead others to do the same.
By implementing these strategies, I have managed to build, grow and continuously run a multi-million pound property portfolio that consists of serviced accommodation, luxury hotels, buy-to-lets, commercial units, and other businesses.
Planning and Protecting Your Time in a Chaotic Environment
Setting your daily and weekly calendars is crucial. I like to mix the things I enjoy with what I need to accomplish. This way, I can tick off the important tasks that I NEED to do, but still enjoy the process, which helps me to avoid burnout.
Planning two weeks ahead and adding to my diary as the week progresses is what works for me. My job has so many moving parts, it can be hard balancing viewings, dealing with trades, keeping on top of admin, and calculating potential deals.
One thing that I find useful is setting an alarm on my phone 15 minutes before a key meeting or call. I find this more effective than a calendar notification, and it gives me enough time to prepare for the call ahead, rather than flapping at the last minute, trying to remember who I’m talking to and the outcome I want to achieve.
I also plan my day in the morning, not at night; your head will be buzzing too much afterwards otherwise. In the evening my phone goes away so I can switch off and spend time with my family.
Working towards a break is a smart way to stay motivated, especially during chaotic periods. If you’re in the thick of things, juggling a stack of live transactions or managing several sites, it can feel like there’s never a good time to pause. But there are smarter times to plan downtime, when key trades or estate agents are off anyway. Like bank holidays or planned leave, it’s a good time to step back without falling behind.
In my life, that often looks like working from home, hitting the gym mid-morning, taking a proper lunch (maybe even in the hot tub), catching up on sleep, or just taking a couple of days to reset. When you recharge, the business keeps ticking, and you come back sharper.
Admin tasks on my list will be parked until then, while I stay focused on the daily grind. Then, I can lock myself in the office, get the music on, pour a brew, and fully focus on the priorities I've set.
Balancing Strategic Thinking and Daily Firefighting
Early mornings can be a game-changer for keeping your week on track and carving out time for priorities. When things ramp up, I’ll have a more structured routine, with earlier nights and waking up at 5 am. You don’t have to dive straight into work either. A quiet walk, some time to mentally plan your day, or simply having space to think can give you clarity, boost your mood, and set the tone before distractions kick in. It’s not about promoting hustle culture, it’s about being intentional. Even just gaining an extra two to three hours a day adds up to almost a full month over a year. That time can be the difference between constant firefighting and feeling in control.
Tackling BurnoutIt's cliché, but eating well, sleeping six to seven hours, exercising regularly, and staying hydrated are the non-negotiables for me to perform at my best. That's because I've learned what works for my body. Some people can function on a few hours of sleep, others need more. The key is knowing what you need.
You can have an amazing business and be making serious money, but all we have is our health. And if we don’t look after that, then expect frequent bouts of severe burnout, or worse. Your business only operates as optimally as you.
I tend to burn out mentally, not physically. Stress is a killer, which is why you need your non-negotiables. Prioritise your body, mind, and health. Show up for yourself first, then you can show up for your family and business.
Know when you're tired and take a rest. Sundays are sacred for me. I completely switch off, everyone knows it's my day, and I spend it uninterrupted with family. Most of us are doing this for our family, but it’s not the properties or the money they’ll remember, it's you. They’ll remember how you ‘show up’ each day, and how present you are. My son gets my full attention, no matter how hectic things get, because that’s what matters most to me.
The Ruthless Art of Protecting Your EnergyYou must be selective with your time. Cut unnecessary meetings or have them over Zoom if you can. Only give energy that serves your goals, and surround yourself with people who support and challenge you.
There are countless ‘takers’ out there. People who will sap your energy, drain your resources and want to ‘pick your brains’ or have ‘catch-ups’ without offering any value (or even paying for the coffee). I have stepped away from a big networking group because I was getting bombarded with calls and messages from people who wanted my advice, but weren’t paying me.
It's great advertising what you do and putting yourself out there as a mentor, but people will hound you. I was getting late-night messages at all hours of the day. It's like someone knocking on your door at 1 am to ask what you think about a semi-detached property, you just wouldn't do it.
My value is in my property knowledge, but it's difficult for me to explain everything I do in a quick chat at a networking event. I know just how much money can be made in property because I'm physically doing it, but I'd need to sit with you in a room for a week to get that across.
Most people attend networking events to get something. But if that's your only goal, you're missing the point. The best connections are built on mutual value, so focus your time on people who give as much as they take. You don’t owe everyone your time for free just because you know more than they do, and protecting your time doesn’t mean being closed off, it means being intentional about who gets access to it.
The Brutal Truth of Operating at a Higher Level
The biggest thing holding people back is themselves. See my article in the January/February edition of Blue Bricks to read about my BELIEVE system, which helps people to believe in themselves. If you believe in yourself and you're willing to take action, nothing can stop you.
I don't need to know everything, I find people who do and pay them. My strength is my resilience, mindset, and the level I'm prepared to go to for the success of my businesses.
At networking events, people ask how to find investors or what to focus on. My answer? Get better. Improve your mindset, your skillset, and how you put yourself out there. When you're genuine and good at what you do, people will come to you.
It all ties back to protecting your time and environment. If you're not prepared to work at a certain level and give it your all, I don't want to sit next to you. That's not me being rude, it's just that I want to be around people who are driven, who will push me and call me out. My advice is often brutal, but people call me for that reason.
If you give half an hour of your day to time-wasters, that's two and a half hours a week gone on stuff that doesn't serve your vision or goals.
As an entrepreneur, you have to be selfish. Prioritise yourself in every single way: your health, your family, and your business, both mentally and financially. No one is going to hand you the energy. Only you can do that by operating as the best version of yourself.
Leading Others
I work closely with people who feel stuck or are battling self-doubt. Even if they’ve already built a solid portfolio, people can often struggle to move their business forward. My training is selective and small-scale. I don’t teach huge groups because it’s about more than just property. I focus on action, mindset, leadership, and helping you grow as an individual, a brand, and a business. If we’re a good fit, I’ll push you to operate at a higher level, with more confidence, clarity, and real results. Think less overwhelm, more impact.
If you think I can help you, get in touch using the details below.
LinkedIn: Thomas Sumner Instagram: @beyondpropertytraining Email: info@bbnw.co.uk
