How to Balance Your eBay Career and Parenting
One of the biggest challenges for any work-at-home parent is how to balance your business time and time for your children. Keep in mind that every child is different and different schedules are going to work for each of us. Being able to raise both my daughters while I worked from home is something I will never forget, and will always treasure.
The first thing I had to do was learn my daughter’s schedule, and adapt when I could and could not work to that. When she was an infant I would work in a frenzy to get everything done during her naps between feedings. Here are a few of the tips I learned while working at home with my daughters:
– Have a to do list, this is a MUST for any new mom. I’m not sure what happened after each of my babies were born, but suddenly my brain would not cooperate and I was constantly battling forgetfulness. Lack of sleep may have been a big part of this. Having a to do list will guarantee you a goal to work on each day.
– Patience is important, your main goal in staying home is to be with your children. You may find yourself in the middle of an eBay items photographing session and baby needs to be fed – feed the baby! A happy baby will always equal a happy parent. The best part of working from home is you can work at your own pace, you are the boss. As my daughters each got older they learned independent play, a true blessing in disguise. My child could be playing in my office right next to me and be content. I wasn’t always interacting with her, but I was there if she needed anything. My daughters were always content, happy, and had plenty to stimulate their minds.
– They become toddlers before you know it. This can be an advantage. As a toddler, your child will begin to be able to follow directions, and may even want to be your helper. If your child wants to help – let them!
– Share photography duties. I had a spare camera and let them ‘help mommy’ take pictures. This was a handy idea when I was pressed to get things listed and my daughter was determined to help.
– Stickers and balloons are fun. Not exactly sure why these two things seem to fascinate kids, but they do. I would buy the small helium tanks, you can get them at a party store, sometimes even Target and Wal-Mart have them. They usually come with a bag of balloons and maybe even some funny face stickers. I was amazed at how long my toddler would stay occupied by just blowing up a few balloons and letting her go crazy with the stickers! The helium tank has a long life and can be used again and again!
– Flexibility is essential. My second child was completely different than my first. I tried every trick I had used with the first child, and even had to come up with a few new ones. My work schedule even had to change from working early morning to working late nights.
I hope these ideas help you, and remember to just keep at it!
About the Author: Jenn Cangelosi has been selling on eBay for more than 10 years, earning both PowerSeller and Top Rated Seller status. The past year has found her spending time on Amazon as well, quickly becoming an expert at the ins and outs of this new marketplace. She is dedicated to helping others build thriving businesses by sharing her knowledge and expertise of buying and selling on eBay and Amazon. Get more great tips at Boutique Bargains.
