It’s no secret that the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are the busiest time of the year from most retailers, which includes Etsy sellers. Tis the season to shop and it’s reported that there are over 32 million active shoppers on the platform (check out more Etsy statistics here).
The good news: There’s a ton of opportunity during this short amount of time! Plenty of Etsy shops do the majority of their business in November and December. The cha-chings will start rolling in and you’ll be making that money, honey!
The bad news: Because it is such a short window of time, it can be really hard to manage everything. The overwhelm can lead to stress, burnout, and bad customer service. Finding the time to juggle everything might seem impossible.
So, how do you get through the crazy busy holiday season as an Etsy seller without suffering from negative consequences?
Make a Schedule
Planning out your week or month in advance can really help time management when you’re working through a busy year end. List out all the tasks you need to complete and assign each to a day. Don’t overwhelm yourself and leave some cushion for any “emergencies” or tasks you might have forgotten.
Whether you prefer a paper planner or computer calendar, make sure you write (or input) everything down and try your best to stick to it! You’ll be much better at managing your focus and completing tasks if you have everything broken down.
Lauren of Elle & Co has a great post on effectively planning your work week. Check it out here, complete with a printable workbook to help with scheduling your week.
Batch Tasks
Completing similar tasks together, at the same time, is a great way to stay productive. For example, with shipping, rather than printing labels and packaging each order as it comes in, schedule time twice a week to prep shipments. This can save a ton of time once you get in a routine. The excitement of answering every message and producing every order is tempting, but by doing like tasks in chunks, you’ll be more productive and maintain your sanity.
Seek Out Pockets of Time
The easiest way to carve out little bits of extra time is by waking up early or going to bed a little later. I’m not a morning person, but when my shop gets super hectic, I’ll wake up 30 minutes early each day to tackle messages or prepare my social media.
I might sound like the bad guy, but giving up any time sucks like Netflix and social scrolling (I’m looking at you, Facebook!) can really help you get back your time. Reward yourself with breaks on the weekend, but maintain the hustle during the week in order to take advantage of holiday shoppers as best as you can!
Think about times during your day when you can squeeze in some work while doing something else – maybe it’s over your lunch break, while your kiddo naps, during laundry, or when you’re sitting in the carpool line. Every minute counts during busy season, so make the most of it!
Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help during busy season! I have found that more often than not, people (both family and friends) were curious as to what exactly I was doing and were more than happy to help!
Whether it is friends helping with biz tasks, a parent offering to watch your kiddos, or your husband cooking dinners for the week, allow them to provide you with some relief. Time is so valuable and when you can find people who are willing to help, take advantage of that!
Remember it’s not Forever
Devote yourself 100% to your shop during this busy time and keep in mind it won’t be like this forever. It’s important to take advantage of the season and make the sales while you can. Set a goal of rewarding yourself after the New Year!
You might have to make some sacrifices while managing your Etsy shop, but remember the end result: lots of sales, happy customers, and a growing business!
Cheering you on this holiday season, I know you’ll crush it!