Congrats on continuing your journey towards creating a stress free and productive  year end!

One of the areas that can create stress is gift giving.  Intellectually we realize, “It’s the thought that counts” yet often the reality looks a little like this . . .

  • Frantically wrapping gifts the night before you are to give them.
  • Exhausted the next morning because you were up all night putting together toys.
  • If you decided to spread out the gift giving and shopped all year, you didn’t keep a comprehensive list, so when you pull the gifts out of the hiding places, you realized that you bought “too much” for one person and “not enough” for another.
  • Or you completely overspent because you started your gift buying in July and then forgot about everything you had purchased.
  • 5 minutes before a guest is about to arrive at your home, you realize you forgot to buy him a gift.
  • You leave for a day of shopping, and realized you don’t know the size or color preference for the gift recipient.  So you need to make numerous calls.

With a plan and a little planning, you can have a new reality!

Here are some of my favorite time saving tips.  Pick a few to implement this year and next.

  • Wrap gifts as you purchase them.
  • Use an assembly line approach when wrapping gifts. Open up 10 gift bags, drop one gift into each bag, put tissue paper on top of the gift, accessorize the bag with bows, sparkle, and a tag.
  • Keep a potential gift list with you all year long.
  • As you purchase a gift – keep a running total of the amount spent to keep you on budget.  (Yes – there is an app for that!)
  • Keep a list of sizes, color preferences, and hobbies for each recipient with you throughout the year
  • Keep all receipts in one envelope with the name of the gift and recipient written on the back of the receipt.
  • Purchase gifts online – and ship directly to the recipient
  • Utilize the gift wrapping service at the mall
  • Purchase consumable gifts – gift certificates to the spa, coupons for a night out, a membership to the Botanical Gardens
  • Make agreements not to purchase gifts, and donate the money to a charity.
  • Create a gift exchange instead of purchasing gifts for everyone in your group.
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Review these previous “stress-free holiday” posts for more pointers.

Envision Success

Holiday Success – with Lists

Stress Free and Productive

What’s On Your Plate?

You Are Not an Island – Delegate!

Holiday Fun with Calendars

Your turn!  Please, share!  What are you going to do differently now that you read this post?  What are your favorite gift giving ideas?  Post below.

Would you like some support accomplishing your goals?  

With a little coaching, you can easily achieve the perfect balance between your business and personal lives.  You can develop a framework and a system that allows you to put first things first – and live a life of purpose, accomplishment, and fun.  You can turn ideas into action!  You can have a stress free end of the year!

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