2021 Women in Commercial Real Estate: Jennifer Defreest, Vice President of Marketing, Cresa

What are some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor? The mentor/mentee relationship is a tremendous opportunity to gain skills and grow professionally. I’ve been lucky enough to have been on both ends of this relationship. Personally, having mentors throughout my career has been extremely valuable and I honestly wouldn’t be where I am today without them (you know who you are, Thank You!). Serving as a mentor has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my professional life. It has helped me build my confidence and leadership skills as I continue to grow in my career.

What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you? I am a visual person; therefore, I’m big on making lists, taking notes, and journaling. List-making helps me stay organized and plan out my day/week without feeling overwhelmed. Another time management strategy is to delegate. If you hire rockstars and trust your team, delegating comes much more naturally.

Additionally, when possible, I try to take care of the most challenging tasks first while I am still fresh versus waiting until later in the day. Most importantly, setting boundaries for yourself and expectations with others is key to balancing work life and practicing time management both professionally and personally.