How much time is it worth to you???

[gristmilldesigns]

Hi Everyone,
Just curious to see on average how much time you spend per day doing Etsy related stuff? I realize it is time consuming promoting items and creating items etc, BUT, I find it is taking over my life! Time goes by so fast when I'm either trying to create treasuries, comment on them, keeping up and adding to activity feed, trying to figure out apps, trying to keep up with team postings, etc!!!!!!!!!!! I feel mentally exhausted! I was doing all kinds of shop stuff the other day, and realized it was sunny, seventy-five degrees, and my four dogs were bored to death on the couch. I felt ashamed I hadn't walked them yet, and closed down computer and enjoyed playing frisbee with the hounds, and relaxing by koi pond. Sounds corny, but I've been so wrapped up trying to keep up with everything Etsy, I forgot to stop and smell the roses, as they say. Don't get me wrong-I want to be successful with my shop, but I also want to keep some healthy balance in my life. Anyone relate to this, or am I just a whiny old crazy lady, lol???!!!!!!!
Sue ;~)

[gristmilldesigns]

PS-Sorry that was so long!!! Venting takes time...

[Former_Member]

Totally understand. I'm getting a lot done lately because I have bronchitis and can't go out, but If I didn't I'd be spending more time outside. It's important to have balance, and it is very easy to get sucked into spending a lot of time on this. I try to ask myself what my expectations really are and keep them in check, so i don't feel like I MUST do everything all the time. Not everything has to be perfect!

By the way, I've seen all kinds of neat greyhound stuff coming through my activity feed. You wouldn't happen to be a greyhound mommy, would you? Could you really be that cool??? :)

Jessie

[gristmilldesigns]

Yes, I am that cool, lol! Seriously, I have been a big supporter of greyhound rescue for years. My beloved boy died from bone cancer a few years ago. I have whippets currently. I actually have two necklaces listed on a team called handmade4hounds. I adore animals, and love to help them any way possible!

Thank you for commenting on my post. Sometimes you need to take a break and be reminded that there is life outside of Etsy!!!

[Former_Member]

Aren't they the best? I lost my Naji in a horrible accident about a year and a half ago, and I haven't had the heart to get another dog yet. It happened just 2 days after our wedding too, so it was a pretty bad time. I'm going to look into the handmade4hounds team, though I also need to spend a little less time taking care of Etsy stuff!

I hope you got out and enjoyed the day. I can't wait to get well so i can go work in my garden.

[Former_Member]

I'm with you both - I have a hard time keeping up with Etsy during the week due to my dayjob, but then the weekend comes, and I find all I am doing is Etsy stuff... As tiring as it all can be, I really hope it will pay off in the end and allow me to back off the day job, and finally get to live the creative life I have always wanted...

[Former_Member]

I know what you mean - Etsy is addictive! There should be a warning....

[gristmilldesigns]

Thank you, ladies! I really don't want this to turn into a horrible obsession! I thought Etsy would be easy-just list your stuff, and people would flock to your shop! Um, nooooo-not quite the case! Yes, I am hoping all this prep work will eventually pay off. For me, jewelry making has always been a stress buster. I don't want it to get to the point where I hate the thought of having to make something for shop. I am a bit worried about that. I don't deal well with pressure. Want to keep it fun!!!

Jessie, I am SO sorry about your precious doggie. It is always so painful when we lose them. Hugs to you, and I hope you feel better soon-bronchitis is nasty!

Sue

[gristmilldesigns]

EmPyeRose,
Yes, the newbie should be warned, ''Caution, you will soon ignore everyone & everything so you can become completely obsessed with etsy!''

[RoyGBivandCO]

Hi Sue;

I know what you mean by etsy taking over your day....at first I was spending hrs looking at other shops to see how things were done....then I discovered the teams and forums and could easily forget that I need to sew....now I look at etsy a couple of short times during the day, and I take my laptop to bed (I am a night owl) to do etsy stuff....when the battery on my laptop dies....my time is up!

[gristmilldesigns]

ShoedawgzK9 AApparel,
That's a great idea about letting the battery die, lol!
I just hope I don't burn out. I need a sale to feel like there is a reason I'm doing all this!
Thanks for your input!
Sue :~)

[Former_Member]

I feel you, whenever my computer freezes or gets a little slow, my husband says it's a sign to get off it!

[Former_Member]

It is so easy to get carried away. My computer often freezes and dies in an effort to help me out :)

Sue - I hope you got out in the nice weather! I'm still stuck in the house, just looking out at the sunshine and my garden and wishing I had the lung capacity to do some work out there! And tomorrow I have to go back to work, ready or not.

Chin up, both of you. There are so many people struggling to get going on Etsy. I think jewelry especially is hard to sell, because so many people are trying to sell it, so it's very hard to get seen. You both have some beautiful and unique things, it's just hard to get them out there. If you have facebook accounts set up, feel free to post on my wall. here's the URL http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sound-and-Whimsy/191830087524997
I don't know how much it will help, but for what it's worth... I've been favoriting your things to get them out in my circles, too.

I also have to drag myself away from doing too much with this. we all got into this because we have a gift to share and something we love to do - so let's try to focus on that and not get hung up on how fast things move. Enjoy the process. (I know- I'm talking to me too!)

-Jessie

[gristmilldesigns]

Jessie,
I could SO hang out with you-wish you lived closer! Thank goodness we have this forum to share on! Sometimes you feel it is just ''you'', and no one else can relate-but, a lot of us are in the same boat! I'm hoping that once a few people buy, they will come back. As Tom Petty once stated, ''The waiting is the hardest part!''

As far as the weather goes, we are having a rainy week. I'm not going to complain because it could be SO much worse. My heart breaks for the people in the flooded areas that are taking a beating right now.

Feel better, Jessie-and thanks for the pep talk you've given us!!!

Sue ;~)

[Former_Member]

I agree with everyone here. Sometimes is seems I spend more time promoting than making jewelry. I get ideas in my head and want to make them right now, but I need to keep up with the promotion. I bought a little sketch pad so that when something pops into my brain I make a little drawing with notes then when I have time I can look back and see what I was thinking. Since the weather's gotten better I try to remember to go outside otherwise I think I'd sit here online all day looking at stuff on Etsy. You're right it is addicting. I'm a night owl though and really get alot done late at night when the hubby and the dog are both asleep. Plus you have to remember to have "me" time. Last week I was totally blocked, couldn't think of anything to make, didn't feel like posting stuff that was made and didn't want to do paperwork, so I gave in, went to the pool and spent 2 hours ready a great book and sitting in the sun. It was just the break I needed, I got back on the horse, posting new stuff and renewing and made 4 sales over the weekend. I am fortunate, I guess you could say, to be unemployed at the moment, so I have time. Just remember every now and then your brain needs a break, especially the artistic mind, so don't feel guilty when you take a day off. We'll all be here tomorrow, hopefully.

Sue ;)

check out my blog, I just did a couple posts on these same topics.
http://smurkjewelrydesigns.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/you-know-youre-a-beading-addict-when/

http://smurkjewelrydesigns.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/creative-time-vs-business-time-what-do-you-spend...

[Former_Member]

Wow.. I was just thinking this to myself.. How do I balance it all, work, making jewelry, photographing, posting, and promoting.. and on top it all that I'm starting an online course...

I thought I must be doing something wrong, but I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one with this problem

[Former_Member]

Hello my name is Lauren and I'm addicted to Etsy...
I spend about 30 mins numerous times a day on here...and frequently get asked if I'm "still on Etsy?"
just kidding (sorta)...I am lucky enough that I can get on here during down time at my "real" job. because as a mom, finding the time and energy at home to fit in anything else is exhausting, I've been trying to get an hour of sewing in at night lately and even that is hard...

[Former_Member]

btw...love love love doggies...I have a lab who has the second most human expressions...(neighbor has the first.)

[Former_Member]

Sue - No kidding! If I could i'd invite you and your pups for afternoon tea and some creative idea swapping. It would be so much fun to have a creative dog loving friend around! And it looks like there's more than just two of us here :) I guess the good thing about the Etsy addiction is that you get to meet people you can relate to, even if you can't spend actual time with them. it sure would be fun to hang out, though :)

Anyway, I tried to go to work today, but didn't even get all the way down to my classroom before I couldn't breathe again, so I'm back home continuing my recovery. I think I'll spend some time working on the rug I started Saturday. I'm really excited about this one. I wish there were a way to attach pictures to these posts, so we could share our works in progress. I think it would be fun to see what other people are working on, and would probably help boost spirits all around to share the process. I'm no computer whiz, but maybe I'll mess with this a bit and see if I can't get it to work. Anyone else interested?

[Former_Member]

There was a commercial a few years back where a small new business launched a website and were watching their "hit" count. For 10 seconds it was slow and then it started jumping exponentially...then they realized they had succeeded and they all got to work making whatever widget they were making...

Anyway, I had this vague notion that it would work the same way for my Etsy site...make a good product, take good pictures with good descriptions, launch the site, and poof...business in minutes. Needless to say that didn't happen, and now I'm doing whatever I can to get people to come check it out (legally, of course) which is getting to be time consuming. Any thoughts from you more successful listers?

[gristmilldesigns]

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, that wasn't really helpful information-just the frame of mind I'm in right now! (We vent on here too!)