Wake up winning! Discover the morning habits of five property management stars

Property Management

Wake up winning! Discover the morning habits of five property management stars

Do you wake up flustered by the sound of your alarm and scrambling to open your eyes as you search for the nearest source of caffeine? Well, you’re certainly not alone. However, have you noticed that when you allow yourself a bit more time to get ready or move your body, you feel more relaxed and in control of the day? 
Starting your day out on the right foot is one of the most important things you can do to take control and level up your career. Don’t believe us? In a study by Leaders.com, it was found that 92% of highly successful people have a morning routine. So it’s no wonder that we’re endlessly fascinated by the morning routines of the world’s top CEOs and business leaders. With that in mind, we reached out to some of the property management industry’s most prominent faces to see how they kickstart their workday. Keep reading, their routines might just surprise you…

Ashleigh Goodchild, Director of Property Management at SoCo Realty

The superhero mum

“With six kids at home, I focus on efficiency and staying organised” — Ashleigh Goodchild

Ashleigh Goodchild is the Director of Property Management at SoCo Realty over on the West Coast. Not only is Ashleigh a prominent director, but she also offers her services in the form of a bootcamp, weekly podcast and other professional services. Oh, did we mention she has six kids to juggle on top of her professional endeavours? Talk about a supermum.

When we spoke to Ashleigh about her morning routine a few things stuck out to us. Firstly, just how focused she is on organisation to control the controllable and provide some structure to the chaos that being a mum of six brings. Ashleigh is big on forward planning and taking a moment to save her future self-time and mental load. “I also make sure dinner is planned and prepped in the morning. Knowing what’s for dinner helps me feel in control and prevents any last-minute stress. It’s not the typical zen routine, but it works perfectly for me and my busy household!” 


Beyond that, Ashleigh shares the importance of squeezing some movement into her weekly routine to stay energized and clear-headed at work. “Twice a week, I fit in some personal training to stay energised.” This is backed up by the fact that 47% of people who work out in the morning reported feeling better about their sense of work-life balance. It’s so often, particularly in the cooler months that we overlook a workout citing that we’re too busy or tired to fit it in. Ashleigh demonstrates that by setting aside intentional time a few days a week is all you need!

Kym Cheney, Head of Residential Property Management at Taplin

Putting out fires, with her trusty sidekick, coffee

“I start the day with some toddler taming time before switching into work mode” — Kym Cheney

Kym Cheney is the Head of Residential Property Management at Taplin and is an influential member of the industry in South Australia. With over 15 years of experience under her belt, she’s had plenty of time to perfect her daily work routine, however with a toddler in the mix she’s redefining what it means to be a working mum every day. Beyond her understandable need for a coffee…or two in the morning, she demonstrates the importance of getting your hardest tasks out of the way first. 

Starting the day bright and early at 6:15 am she dedicates the first half of her morning to what she coins “toddler taming time” complete with a daycare dropoff on the way to work. Optimising her commute time by taking calls during the forty-five-minute drive, there’s no doubt she’s familiar with the phrase “eat the frog first”. For those unfamiliar with the phrase, it’s a mental acuity strategy used to remind oneself to tackle the hardest task of the day first, as opposed to ruminating on it. Allowing you to feel accomplished well before lunchtime arrives. 

Kym does this by taking on the urgent daily tasks for half an hour in the morning, stating that “I do this first so I do not get sidetracked with emails and calls as these are usually time-sensitive.” Beyond this she also time blocks to allow herself the opportunity to get back to calls and emails, instead of having her workflow be interrupted by them throughout the day.

Michael Anania, Head of Property Management at Laing + Simmons Corporate

Setting the day up for success

“Making the bed sets a positive tone for the day” — Michael Anania

Michael Anania is the Head of Property Management at Laing + Simmons Corporate. In a unique role, he oversees Property Management at a high level for all Laing + Simmons offices, which means a lot of people management and communication throughout the day. So it’s no wonder that he prioritises organisation and ‘me’ time in the morning. 

This extends to steering clear of his phone in the morning to prevent any distractions or brain fog upon waking. He goes on to state “I then tidy up the house and make the bed. Making the bed sets a positive tone for the day, and there’s nothing better than getting into a well-made cold bed after a long day.” 

Michael also shares the importance of taking time out of his week to enjoy some uninterrupted quality time with his partner, to keep a strong sense of balance and to be able to show up to work as his happiest self. “My partner and I make it a point to go out for breakfast once a week to break up the routine, and when it’s not too cold, we make sure we take a morning walk by the ocean to seize the day.”

Sarah Dawson, Chief Customer Officer at PropertyMe

The ideas machine

“The best ideas come together when I create a quiet space” — Sarah Dawson

Sarah Dawson is the Chief Customer Officer at PropertyMe, a dynamic role that sees her not only liaising with her team but also the industry at large. Whether she’s ideating with the team, or zooming around Australia to meet clients she is always on the go. Sarah juggles her professional life with being a mum, partner and even dabbles in team sports to keep her mind and body healthy. 

So what does her morning routine entail? Sarah puts a huge emphasis on giving herself physical and mental room to ideate. Stating “one of the most important steps for me is scheduling time to “think”, often we can be running so fast that we need to be reminded to stop “doing” and give ourselves time to let ideas circulate and settle.” 

She manages this in her busy schedule by walking with no distractions, listening to business podcasts to get uplifted or revisiting a motivational book that provided inspiration. “The most successful days are when there is a clear plan on what success for that day looks like. A succinct list of achievable goals is a winner.”

Rebecca Halton, CEO at LJ Hooker City Residential

Revving up for the day to reduce burnout

“I don’t book any meetings until 10 am so I am not rushing my morning” — Rebecca Halton

Rebecca Halton is the CEO of LJ Hooker City Residential, Auctioneer and mother to two boys. Being a top-performing leader in the LJ Hooker group she is consistently driving her team to success, resulting in varying accolades and awards. While her role demands her to be innovative, agile and constantly moving between multiple offices, how she begins her day may surprise you.

When asked, Rebecca shared that the key to success for any busy day is starting it slowly. This no-rush no-fuss approach allows her to gear up for a long and fast-paced day. So what does that actually mean? She stated that she begins bright and early with a bit of family time over breakfast and coffee to set the right tone. This approach brings a sense of mindfulness, reduces stress and gives you a high level of sustained energy.

Upon arriving in the office Rebecca ensures that she doesn’t book any team meetings before 10 am, to allow herself time to get organised and grounded. During these early hours, time can be spent to plan out your to-do list, get on top of emails and brainstorm, after all our brains are the sharpest in the morning!

So there you have it, the morning routine of our industry leaders. What will you be adopting as part of your morning routine? We’ll be making sure to allow ourselves ample time to enjoy the company of our loved ones!