How to Survive a Short Week in Property Management
There is something funny (aka annoying) that happens to me when I know I have a big project ahead.
Instead of tackling it, my brain does something completely unhelpful.
I’ll reorganize a drawer.
I’ll wipe down the counters.
I’ll deep clean my house like someone is coming over.
It is the ultimate avoidance behavior. The project waits. My house gets cleaner, but I end up more stressed.
Please tell me I’m not the only one!
Short weeks at an apartment community have a similar energy.
You know they are coming, you know the workload is the same, but compressed, and you know residents will have questions, teams will need support, and things will easily slip through the cracks.
And suddenly your brain wants to clean the leasing desk (or make a grocery shopping list) instead of preparing for the week.
It happens to everyone.
So let’s make it easier.
Here is a simple and calm plan for navigating short weeks so you can wrap things up with clarity and walk back in with a game plan.
1. Get Clear On Your “Must Do Before I Leave” List
Do not let your brain run the show on short weeks. Give it something concrete to follow.
Ask yourself:
What absolutely must be done before we lock the office door?
What will create chaos if we don’t do it?
What is small but important?
These usually rise to the top:
posting office hours
preparing a closure notice
updating your voicemail and setting away messaging
updating your Google Business Profile hours
confirming maintenance emergency contacts
scheduling any social posts
Make this list visible. A visible list calms your brain.
2. Make Residents Feel Seen Before You Disappear
Short weeks always feel smoother when residents know:
when the office is open
when the office is closed
who to contact in urgent situations
where to find the answers
A simple notice goes a long way. And because I know you already have enough on your plate, here’s a free holiday closure notice you can use and customize in a free Cavna account.
3. Have a Quick Five-Minute Team Huddle
Not a meeting. Just a reset.
Something like:
“We have a compressed week, so here’s what we’re focusing on today. Here’s who is handling what. Here’s what we’ll finish before we leave.”
Five minutes can eliminate hours of confusion later.
You can even ask:
What is your one thing for today?
What do you need before we’re off?
Where might we get stuck?
Short weeks demand clarity, not speed.
4. Make Sure Maintenance Has What They Need
Before everyone scatters:
Confirm the emergency number works
Make sure vendors know your hours
Double-check any parts or orders that truly cannot wait
Confirm on-call coverage
Give them the closure notice too
A maintenance team that feels supported helps the whole community stay calm.
5. Create Your “When I Return” List Before You Leave
This is the magic step no one does.
Your brain will not remember what you were working on. You will walk in after a break feeling foggy, your inbox will distract you, and you will forget half the things you intended to do.
Before you leave, write a simple note to your future self:
“When I get back, here are the top three things I need to do first.”
It takes a few minutes and saves a lot of frustration.
6. Let Sprout Help Handle the Mental Load
Short weeks always remind me why systems matter.
You shouldn’t have to scramble for:
flyers
notices
event ideas
appreciation content
social posts
communication templates
renewal messages
resident reminders
Sprout makes the small stuff easy so your brain has room for the real work.
Whether it’s Spark for the essentials or the full Sprout Membership for total support, you don’t have to build any of these things from scratch.
Short weeks feel lighter when you aren’t reinventing anything.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I have been a Sprout member for years now and I strongly recommend it to everyone I know who works in the industry.
I have taken my Sprout membership to different states and companies and have always found it incredibly useful.
As we all know, there are never enough hours in each day - but Sprout helps you get valuable time back that would otherwise be spent stressing about resident events, marketing, and so much more!
If you're looking into becoming a member - just do it.”
—Katelynn Stout
Quick Hacks for Short Weeks
If you want to make a short week even smoother, here are a few small, high-impact things that help more than you think:
Pre-schedule all social posts for the week
Put your office hours in your email signature temporarily
Add your closure notice to your resident portal or app
Leave one voicemail greeting that answers 80 percent of questions
Pre-set your away message with a link residents can use
Move anything non-urgent on your plate to the following week
Do a desk reset so you walk in to a clean slate
Keep a simple sticky note list on your computer screen for “return day”
A Calm Short Week Is Possible
Short weeks do not need to feel chaotic. A calm, steady week is completely possible when you give yourself a simple structure to follow.
Here’s your quick recap:
Get clear on your true must-dos
Communicate your hours everywhere
Have a quick five-minute huddle to align your team
Make sure maintenance has what they need
Leave a “when I return” note for your future self
Let Sprout cover the small tasks that steal your time
You don’t need perfection. Just clarity, communication and a few small systems. Future you will thank you!
And don’t forget your free closure notice (Sprout has your back, always) CLICK HERE!
On a totally unrelated note… I entered my first chili cookoff and took home third place. It made my whole week! I’m sharing the recipe in case you want to make it too. Consider a sign to treat yourself to some down time and good food!
