What’s more exciting than opening gifts during the holidays? Opening a gift you actually want or need (like a cool piece of technology) or you can actually use (like a great watch) is extra special. While a Chia Pet or another tin of multi-flavored popcorn provides the formality of wrapping a present for someone else to unwrap, putting lots of time and effort into a gift that will give someone a huge WOW factor is much more fun.
We all understand that it’s the thought–not the gift–that counts, but how much thought really goes into giving one of those products stacked high next to the checkout counter?
If picking out exciting and meaningful gifts is a struggle for you, try repurposing the same organizing and planning tactics you use every day at work. Here are four tips that can help you throughout this process and your holiday shopping adventures.

1. Note-taking

Whether you prefer pen and paper, voice recording on your smartphone or a note-taking app like Evernote, it is important to find a solution you will use consistently. From jotting down lists to prioritizing tasks to more productive meetings, organizing your note-taking helps you achieve a more efficient workflow. It can also remind you of the great gift ideas that randomly pop into your head.

2. Emails

Does your email inbox get flooded every day with promotions, newsletters and other subscriptions? Keep your inbox manageable and prevent your most important emails from getting buried by sorting and unsubscribing. Even if you have to set aside 30-45 minutes toward organizing your inbox, it will reduce clutter and save you lots of time in the long run. Keep your holiday-related emails in a separate folder so that when it comes time to shop, you can easily reference them for gift ideas and great deals.

3. Digital Files

Do you often find yourself wasting time looking for papers? Go digital by scanning important documents and saving them in the cloud! Your documents will be more secure, much easier to find and backed up even if your computer passes away. Cloud-based tools like Google Drive and Dropbox are very affordable and offer ample storage space. This is a great way to organize your holiday receipts and track how and where you spent your hard earned dollars!

4. Coworkers

While improving organizing and planning on your computer and smartphone is important, don’t forget about the human element. Just as you work to stay on the same page with your coworkers by sending out weekly progress reports and having regular discussions, use them as resources for holiday-related discussions on what is new and exciting this holiday season!
Applying the same work-related organizing and communication skills to your holiday shopping will set you on the right track to building the perfect gift list. With any luck, you will be done in plenty of time to relax and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!