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Here are a few suggestions for things you can do ahead of time, or even have someone else arrange for you. When things get busy, you'll be ready for anything!
Put together marketing kits for instant distribution. Your business card and brochure; references and recommendations; samples of your work; and stamped envelopes. Then you won't have to rethink the whole procedure every time someone requests information about your business.
Make yourself a checklist for daily or weekly tasks. Photo copy it and keep it somewhere visible. Whether something got done or not won't be on your mind all the time - you'll know in a glance. This could include things like backing up your data; making sales calls; and anything important that you sometimes forget to do.
Why not keep a file folder or a nice looking box full of birthday and other greeting cards, along with a list of birthdays/events and stamps. Buy cards ahead of time, when you find them on sale, or when you are the mood, instead of rushing out to buy one at the last minute. At your leisure, you can then sign the cards, address the envelopes, and attach a sticky note marked with the date it should be mailed, or write the date in the place where the stamp goes.
Create a holiday notebook and include events for both work and home. Insert copies of calendar pages for November and December and note all holiday events as they are announced. Make pages for the following: people to give presents to; people to give cards to; shopping lists for gifts, decorations, food, clothes; budget, hiding spots, cleaning and other preparations. If you are in charge of masterminding company parties, list all the details in here as well. Take it with you whenever you may find yourself in a store. Give yourself deadlines, and check your notebook often.
Take a few minutes to make templates for routine email responses, frequently used documents, different signature files, etc. When you need them, instead of starting all over each time, you only have to make changes as you desire.
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