Being a Successful Realtor and Full-Time Mother

We've talked about how real estate can be a rewarding career path, in part, because you get to "pick your own hours". We've also talked about how in order to be a successful real estate agent, you need to put in the work and treat it as if it were an 8-5 job. Sure, working from home is great, but what do you do if you have children? How do you juggle building a real estate business and caring for your family? We're going to take a look into how one of our most successful agents, who also happens to be a full-time mother, handles her business. 

Interview with Katherine Paquette:

Q: How do you balance being a busy mother and a busy professional?

K: No one has a crystal ball to tell you how busy life will be as a mother, especially being a working mother. In Real Estate, there is an ebb and flow to the work load. Some days/weeks/months are very busy, while others allow for a lot more flexibility. In my opinion, the most important thing that a mother can do to ensure that her business is successful is to not over commit (both personally and professionally), have a network of people that are able to jump in at a moments notice to help and be honest with demanding clients if you are just not available. For my business, setting these standards for myself allows me to balance the demands from all sides. If there is a time that the work schedule is very busy, I know that my daughter is in good hands with my husband or grandparents. Although I might miss a funny moment in life, I know that I will have my opportunity to share these moments with her once the work schedule calms down. Over time I've realized that it's not about being there 24/7, rather finding joy in the small moments. 

Q: Do you find it challenging between knowing when to put family first or work first? How do you handle that?

K: Of course it is challenging to know when to put your family first or work first. Time blocking in your everyday schedule allows for the opportunity to take care of all things, both personally and professionally. For me, I use loose times, usually 2-3 hours blocks to handle either personal or professional obligations, plus multitasking. I know that my daughter likes to make a lot of noise when I try to make calls from home, but in the car is no problem. Use those times to check items off the to-do list without getting yourself frustrated. 

Q: What advice do you have for any new realtors when it comes to managing their time? 

K: Being new in an industry that requires a lot of start-up time, money and effort can be challenging to stick with. I learned early on after college that you should look ahead to the future and set yourself up where you become an invaluable asset to the team. Gain knowledge in areas that will lead to greater things, soak up as much information as possible and believe in yourself that you make it through the hard part of getting established.