Dealing with Frustration?

Lately has been a frustrating time for me.

I’ve processed a few applications for our tax credit property which take a considerable amount of verifications and time. I rejected a few apps and approved three. All three approved applicants have changed their mind as we approached the lease signing appointment. This property has a waiting list of 150 names and I am sitting with an empty unit. Frustrating. I know it is unintentional but sometimes, a person wonders if people are wasting your time on purpose. All reasons for changing their minds could have been expressed well before considerable work was completed. These reasons, completely beyond my control and quite frankly…beyond my understanding.

I have a struggling RD property and was finally processing an application for a vacant unit. While we work to provide great service for our applicants and tenants, we try to go above and beyond for our struggling properties. This particular applicant was a woman who called me seven times on average per day. Some days it was 10 calls, others it was five, but trust me, it was never just one! I addressed all of her concerns, made the switch to a smoke free building, and answered all of her questions with patience. I called to let her know her application was approved, set up a move in date, prepped all of these lease paperwork, and sent it out. During our last phone conversation she was thrilled to be moving to this property, happy with the service and so grateful for my patience and understanding. Imagine my surprise when I listened to a voicemail I received from her, recorded at 11:30 pm that night. She would no longer be moving due to my inability to provide a smoke free property quickly enough. What?!

Today I am home from work because I can’t get out my driveway. A whole other frustration but I’m not complaining for a couple of reasons. One, this winter has been kind to us Minnesotans and it is nearly over. All types of winter may have found our area yesterday and today but it’s not going to last. I can deal with this easily. The second reason and probably more important, my patience isn’t quite what it should be and I haven’t returned my applicant’s call to find out just what happened. I guess we’ll hope to find sunshine and rainbows on the drive into work tomorrow.

So the question, dealing with frustration? I don’t have the answers. I found someone starting a thread questioning how to deal with the frustrations of being a property manager. Apparently not many others had answers either. The thread started and ended with just one response, “it gets easier with time.” I can agree with that advice. You start to learn not to take everything personally. Some days you remember to leave work at work. Eventually you come to the realization you can’t solve, fix, or eliminate every problem, complaint, or issue which comes your way.

I could launch into meditation, yoga, candles, hot showers, long baths, and positive affirmations. We all have our ways to cope. Even so, I can’t help believe there will always be a day that gets to you, no matter how long you’ve been doing this job or how well you de-stress. Is that a failing? Nope, just human. So whatever is going on, we can all assure ourselves, it won’t last forever. Who knows, maybe I dodged a bullet with the compulsive calling applicant turning down my apartment? With that thought, I might muster the patience to give her a call tomorrow. Just to be safe, I’ll hunt up some sunshine and rainbows during the drive into work!