Are you a busy mom entrepreneur? Check out these tips in this sponsored post written on behalf of Office Depot, but all opinions are my own.
This year marks my sixth holiday season as a busy mom entrepreneur. When I started my business back in 2013, I had no idea what was in store for my idea to create a supportive community for women in business. From an annual retreat to digital products being released monthly, I serve thousands of women each year.
I’m super grateful to have been able to turn a side hustle into a viable business, and the holiday season reminds me how much I have to be thankful for.
You’d think that with me feeling so fortunate to have supportive clients and customers that I’d have my stuff together when it comes to sending out cards and gifts to send out to a little over 100 people during the holidays.
I don’t.
But this year will be different! I made a plan to be able to get things done in a more timely fashion this holiday season. I want to share my holiday time saver tips that are perfect if you’re a busy mom entrepreneur!
Holiday Tips for A Busy Mom Entrepreneur
1. Make a plan.
Step one is to make a plan. Write out exactly what you have to do to get ready for the holiday season, and be honest about it! It’s going to seem like a lot, and it might feel overwhelming. If you don’t put it all down, though, you won’t be able to figure out how to get it done more efficiently.
2. Get help.
I mostly operate as a solopreneur, but during the holidays, I realize I can’t do it all on my own. From my daughter and husband stuffing envelopes, to hiring a virtual assistant to set up a mailing spreadsheet, delegating gives me time to do other important things that need to get completed at the same time. Two birds, one stone!
3. Maximize your store visits.
Instead of wasting your precious time running from store to store, go to the stores where you can do more. Office Depot and OfficeMax are perfect for entrepreneurs because we can get our holiday card printing done (or buy them), purchase stamps and shipping materials, and ship it out all in the same place. One trip to get all of that done saves a lot of time!
Also, Office Depot and OfficeMax and have the best gifts for your colleagues or employees. I completely geeked out over the TUL Limited Edition Metallic Ink writing collection and Metallic Note-taking System that makes a perfect gift for my virtual assistant (and is inexpensive enough that I picked one up for myself, too!).
4. Break your work up into blocks.
Instead of switching from task to task and running the risk of getting distracted, do all of your like tasks on one day. For example, Monday might be your day to do emails. Tuesday is your day to fill out holiday cards. On Wednesday, you package gifts, and on Thursday you head to Office Depot or OfficeMax to ship everything out.
They offer shipping services via USPS and FedEx Ground and Express to national, international and even military base locations. You can even drop off packages 7 days a week.
5. Remember the reason for the season.
The most important change that I’ve made for this year’s holiday season is that I’ve changed my mindset. Being busy and stressed out isn’t festive. I’m working smarter because I want to be able to enjoy this time of year, and to reflect on all of the good things happening in my life and business.
By spending a little time before the holiday season begins to plan, I’m ensuring that I’ll have a holly, jolly holiday for sure!
Being an entrepreneur during the holidays is the best!
There’s something really special about being an entrepreneur during the holidays. I love carrying boxes of products to ship out around, and the thrill of addressing envelopes to people who PAID ME for my stuff! Thanks to my holiday time saver plan and goal of being more efficient, I have a feeling this season will be the best one for me, yet!
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Office Depot.
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