It’s that time of year…and if you’re anything like me, you are feeling a little bit frazzled. The to-do list is, frankly, overflowing. There are wreaths to hang, canned goods to donate, holiday concerts to attend, trees to decorate, teacher gifts to buy, secret Santa lists to coordinate. Plus the regular gift buying and wrapping. Also, don’t forget to move the elf, please.
But as you work tirelessly to make the holidays magical for everyone around you (and you do such a good job at it!) don’t forget to get a litttttle something for yourself. Running an online business is not easy, and when you add in all the extras that come along this time of the year, you can start feeling a little burnt out.
So consider this your official permission slip to treat yourself this year!
Here are my top gifts for online business owners that I think you’re going to love to give yourself this year - because after all, you deserve it!
✨INDOOR PLANTS
We’ve all been guilty of heading down the PlantTok rabbit hole (it’s just so satisfying!), but did you know that indoor plants aren’t just here to make your home office look aesthetically pleasing?
According to a study from Washington State University, people with plants in their workspaces reported feeling more productive and less stressed!
In fact, exposure to greenery both indoors and outdoors was found to have a positive mental health impact - and you know we like a positive mental health moment around here!
While I have successfully kept three humans (and a dog!) alive, that seems to be where my parenting skills end. Plant mom I am not. So I did a bit of research and here are my top four low maintenance plants for beginners:
Fiddle Leaf Fig
Silver Philodendron
Spider Plant
Snake Plant (my personal favorite!)
You’d be surprised what a difference it makes having a plant on your desk or sitting on a nearby window sill. Pick one up from your local garden center or grocery store, or if you really want to treat yourself, order from everyone’s favorite bougie plant shop, The Sill.
✨LEGAL TEMPLATES
I know, this one’s kind of boring, but hear me out. I realize that contracts and legal documents are probably the furthest thing from your mind, especially this time of year. You’re probably thinking, I’m not a big company like Target or Starbucks. Do I really need to worry about this? The answer is yes!
Legal documents play an important role in protecting your business from potential legal challenges, contract mishaps and intellectual property theft.
Let's be honest, do you really want to spend your time going back and forth trying to collect a payment from a client because you didn’t lay out the terms of their payment plan up front? Or potentially get fined up to $2500 per website visitor (yep, this can really happen!) because you don’t have a Privacy Policy in place? Talk about a total damper on the holiday cheer.
But here's the real game-changer – I can tell you from experience that getting your legal documents in order will give you the energetic boost you need to step into your next level as a business owner.
You’ll be able to confidently kick imposter syndrome to the curb and become the go -to expert in your niche, knowing that you are covered and so is your business.
I get all my legal templates from Berkely Sweetapple. She sells individual templates for almost every industry at a super affordable price, so if you’re looking to up your legal game this year, check out her SHOP.
✨WRIST REST
Well, it happened. I turned 40 and apparently I can’t cozy up on the couch and work on my laptop without getting a hip injury, a crick in my neck, or wrist fatigue.
Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this until after I spent 2020-2022ish doing exactly that during the pandemic. I started waking up in the middle of the night with three numb fingers.
After a panicked rush to my physician, she assured me that I wasn’t dying of a mysterious illness (gee thanks, WebMD) but that I had developed Carpal Tunnel after almost two years of working in a scrunched up position.
She gave me a (VERY attractive) wrist brace to wear to bed and advised that I work in a seated position at a desk or table, using a wrist pillow.
Could I have picked up any old grey or black wrist pillow? Suuuuure. But did I want to? Absolutely not.
This Cloud Wrist Rest is not only effective, but it’s also adorable! It makes me forget that I’m 42 and need to sit in a certain position in order to avoid wrist pain.
✨TIME MANAGEMENT CUBE
One of the biggest blocks to achieving your business goals? Lack of time management. One method that I use to stay on task is the Pomodoro Technique.
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can help individuals boost their productivity and focus. It was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and is named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer (pomodoro is Italian for tomato) that he used as a college student.
He created the idea that working for short, focused intervals (20-30 minutes), known as "Pomodoros," can help you work more efficiently and avoid burnout.
The basic Pomodoro Technique consists of the following steps:
Decide on the task you'd like to complete
Set the Pomodoro timer (25 minutes)
Work on the task until the timer rings
Take a short break (5 minutes)
After four "Pomodoros," take a longer break (15-30 minutes)
The Pomodoro Technique is built around the idea that regular, short breaks can help to maintain focus and prevent burnout. By taking a break every 25 minutes, you give your brain time to rest and recharge, which can help you maintain your focus and energy throughout the day.
I am MUCH more productive when I use this method, but I ran into trouble when I was using my phone as a timer (there is actually a pomodoro app!)
Apparently, I have zero self control and would get sucked into scrolling IG Reels for an hour on my 5 minute break. That’s when I decided to order THIS!
This timer cube has been an absolute game changer for me - not only am I able to get more work done in 2-3 hours, but I am able to step away from my phone for a bit to do it! (Is time management one of your “things to work on” in 2024? Check out some more of my fave time management strategies HERE)
✨THE BEST PENS EVER
So I know you probably do most of your work on your laptop. Writing notes in Google Docs. Creating Notion checklists. But you have to admit, there is nothing more satisfying than putting pen to paper. Maybe it was my 5th grade teacher who forced us to practice the cursive alphabet for hours each day, but I still would rather make a list in a notebook than on my phone.
To get the most satisfying results, you must have a high quality pen to write with. Any old plastic Bic isn’t going to have the same effect. So I’m going to let you in on a little secret: The Pentel Energel.
This thing writes like a dream - you’ll honestly feel like you’re signing an important document everytime you add something to your grocery list.
They come in a variety of colors and if you’re like something pretty to look at on your desk (or you’re just a little bit extra, like me) they even sell a gold metal version!
✨COFFEE MUG
Some days, we just need a steaming hot cup of coffee to get us through the morning. It’s not the caffeine for me (if we don’t know each other well…I tend to run a bit high on the anxiety scale, so I avoid caffeine at all costs!) it’s the warm cup in my hands, the smell of the hazelnut, and of course…the aesthetically pleasing cup for the background of my b-roll videos!
The cutest and most practical travel mug I’ve found has got to be the Simple Modern Voyager Tumbler in Leopard Print. Not only does it keep my hot bevs hot the longest, but who could pass up the adorable leopard print? As an added bonus, it fits in car cup holders, which isn’t always the case, so you can be a CEO on the go!
There you have it! My list of the top gifts for online business owners this year. I hope you treat yourself to something special, even if it is just a new pen - you are so deserving! If you grab something from this list, let me know by connecting HERE, so I can celebrate with you 🎉🎉