Setting Your 2017 Goals

Every new year, people make resolutions to... well, usually forget about a couple weeks. It’s always a good idea to think of ways to improve or advance yourself, and every new year is a time to think about that. But for it to come to anything, even the process of coming up with goals takes more thought and more structure. That’s the key to framing your plans in such a way that will motivate you to fulfill them.

Start by writing down everything you want to do this year. They could be important steps in your long-term career goals, recreational plans like visiting somewhere you’ve always wanted to see, or even something as simple as reading a particular book. The trick is to be specific and create a goal that you can look back on later and have no doubt whether or not you achieved it. Ideally, these goals don’t rely on too many outside influences or luck.

Bic Fine Point Permanent Markers

If you’re writing them out by hand, consider using different colors for each goal (or at least divide them into type like professional, family, or personal). It’s about improving your life; why not be colorful? This will help for the next part: think about how you’re going to do all this. You’ll find that most of these goals require specific steps to take that will get you closer to them- complete the proposal, research flights to your dream location, buy the book. Write these down in the same color. Do these have steps too? Continue going until you have a bunch of smaller, manageable tasks all building up to your big goals.

The next step is to set deadlines for all of these and add them to your calendar. If they aren’t time sensitive, spread them around the year so you’ll always have something to work on. If they involve a regular commitment, write it down whenever it’s needed. You’ll see your planner fill up with little goals, giving you something to work on every week, or perhaps even every day. Now you have a list of little things to do frequently that will lead to bigger and better achievements down the road.

The important thing to remember is to stay motivated to stick to your list. If you ever find yourself not wanting to do a task, imagine the big goal and decide if it’s worth the commitment. It’s okay to realize it isn’t and scratch something that may not be as important to you as you originally thought. It’s also okay to add more goals as you come up with them. Finally, feel free to make adjustments as alternate paths to your goal open up or setbacks require a new approach. Stay flexible, but stay committed until you hit the end!

Save on Business Essentials!

Happy 2017 from all of us at OfficeSupply.com! The new year brings with it a good time to think about the storeroom in the office. A year of hard work can drain the supply closet, so before anything runs out, determine what you need to stay productive with no supply shortages during the new year. We're here to help with deals on items that may need replenishment as the year begins.

Universal Economy Binders

Let's start with binders. Whether the meeting's about a proposal, a review, or just to present information, a well organized binder can help support a presentation and provide details for everyone to take back to their desk and peruse properly. Universal economy view binders are on sale in one inch or two inch sizes, offering plenty of space for loading information for clients or co-workers. As a view binder, they include sleeves for inserting a sheet into the spine or cover.

Pres-A-Ply Labels

How is your supply of labels doing after all the holiday mailings? If you're in need of more and are on a budget, try Pres-A-Ply labels, an economical alternative from Avery. They come in the same sizes and use the same Avery templates, only without some of the innovations like Avery's Easy Peel. If you prefer, packs of those are on sale too!

Check out our Business Essentials page to save on these products, along with coupons for envelopes and legal pads. You'll also find rebates to score a free dispenser for Post-It notes or Scotch tape. Sales run through the end of January.

Gear Up with Organizational Items for 2017

The new year is almost upon us! The change in calendars marks a good time to think about the clutter you've got around the house and your workspace. More inevitably will come in during 2017, so being able to manage, organize and filter out paperwork and other space-eating items might be the first test of the new year. This organization page will help generate some ideas, with great deals on space-saving and item-identifying products you may need before settling into the new year.

Lorell SOHO Vertical File

Every household needs a filing cabinet to store important records. If you don't have one yet, or need to upgrade, consider picking up one of our models. This will offer you space to file documents, either by year or by category, and have them easily accessible when you need them. If records need to be retained but don't need to be instantly available, stock up on Bankers Boxes to store folders and other important documents.

Dymo LetraTag Thermal Printer

If tidying up for the new year leaves you with a bunch of boxes, consider a Dymo thermal label printer to identify everything. These printers are portable and easy to use with a keyboard and variable sizes and fonts available. Use it for boxes, cabinets, or any other place a personalized label will help keep you organized.

Other organizational items on sale include shelving units, desktop reference systems, file sorters and more! The sale runs through the end of the year.

Year-End Closeout Sales!

We're almost through with 2016, and that means closeout sales! OfficeSupply.com has a bunch of great items available at steep discounts to end the year. Check them out and save some money!

OIF Mesh High-Back Chair

Looking for an office chair? There are several products on sale from OIF and Alera to check out. OIF's high-back chair offers the comfort of a mesh back, lumbar support, and multiple adjustments- all for under $100. Rounding out the available furniture are Alera mobile pedestal files that serve as a portable file cabinet.

BIC Great Erase Low Odor Dry-Erase Markers

BIC Great Erase Markers are among the best class of dry erase markers available, striking a nice balance between a low odor and a stroke that's both bold and easy to erase. A multi-color pack is available for just $2.29. Other office essentials include a big pack of Post-It Notes, colorful file folders, and InkJoy pens.

3M Office Air Cleaner

Our closeout sale even includes some facility and health supplies, such as this air purifier designed for large rooms in workplaces. Use this 3M purifier in the conference room or other big parts of the office to reduce orders and filter harmful particles out. You'll also find garbage and recycling cans and bandages and wraps on our closeout page. Deals run until the end of the year, so shop today!

Balancing Work, Family, and Holiday Obligations

As the holiday season reaches its culmination, life may be getting pretty hectic as you try to get work done with limited hours while also finishing holiday preparations with seemingly no free time. Balancing everything without losing your mind is a delicate job that needs to be approached as such. There are a number of steps to take that can help ensure that you manage of all of your end-of-year obligations at work and at home, while still being able to enjoy the holidays and the time they should afford.

At-A-Glance Weekly Planner

You probably already use some sort of calendar, whether it be a handsome bound organizer, a wall calendar, or the calendar app on your phone. All have advantages. Paper calendars may be easier to compile from hand-written lists and reward you with the lovely satisfaction of crossing each task off upon completion. Apps put your schedule at your fingertips and can be synchronized with your email, or with your family or co-workers' calendars. No matter what you use, be comprehensive and include everything- not just your professional obligations. You may feel silly putting shopping or your family's traditional It's A Wonderful Life watch in the same planner as lunch with a client, but this way the time gets blocked out and you're showing commitment. They're both important.

Another key to enjoying downtime with family is to cut back on things that sound fun but are more work than they're worth. Are there parties you only attend out of a sense of obligation? Are you offering to host a gathering that doesn't feel rewarding? Is there a family/office tradition that nobody in the family/office actually enjoys? Try to cut them out of the schedule. Politely decline, suggest alternatives, and get as many unfestive festivities off the schedule. Any shortcuts, whether they be online shopping, potluck dinners or teleconferences, help save time as well.

Once all that remains on your schedule is the truly enjoyable and the truly unavoidable, commit to whatever's on it at the moment. While you're at work, worry about getting your projects finished instead of the gifts you still need to buy. Ideally, you have time budgeted for them. The opposite is true too: don't spend family time trying to get ahead on your work. Relax and enjoy the peace you've afforded yourself. As demanding as the holidays can be, there's no better time to step away from work for a while and spend time recharging and being with those you love. That can only work if you believe in it.

Supplies for Your Last Minute Holiday Shipping Needs

With only a week left until Christmas, you're going to be under the gun to get all of your holiday parcels to their destinations on time. Whether you're shipping packages to distant friends and loved ones or running a small business selling gifts or art online, you can't afford to be late. It's especially harder this year with December 24 falling on a Saturday. This is a bad time to run low on essential packaging supplies, but if you need to restock, we're here to help.

3M Pistol Grip Packing Tape Dispenser

For a limited time, check out our Holiday Shipping Center for great deals, up to 50% off, on packing and shipping essentials. Stock up and save on important items like shipping boxes, packing tape, and Avery address labels. Dymo also has special holiday labels compatible with their label printers. Depending on what you're sending, you may also need mailing tubes or padded mailers to protect the goodies inside.

Dymo M3 Digital Postal Scale

Running a small business or have a lot of gifts or cards to send out? Consider saving some energy with a mailroom scale that will give clear digital readouts so you know how much postage you'll need. Or take advantage of our offers and stock up on bubble wrap, large format envelopes or stretch wrap.

If you need these in a hurry, you're in luck! Most orders arrive in 1-2 business days, so there's just enough time to order your supplies and still get your gifts mailed before the holidays.

Last Minute Gift Ideas at OfficeSupply.com

There are only two weeks left until Christmas! If you're in need of a gift idea, our Holiday Shop has a number of suggestions that your recipient is sure to enjoy, with coupons and sales on several great products!

Weego Battery Pack

Everybody relies on their smartphones these days, so how about an accessory they can use to be more productive? The Weego battery pack is small, light, and packs enough charge to keep a phone running for several more hours. Other phone accessories to consider are charging cables and adapters, screen protectors, and docking stations. If your recipient is more of a laptop person, think about an accessory like new bag or desk stand. From now through next week, order $75 worth of technology products or accessories and qualify for a coupon for $10 off!

Another gift idea is a new line of travel mugs from Contigo. These mugs feature a leak-proof lid that prevents spills while on the go, and are vacuum insulated to keep beverages hot for five hours or cold for twelve! One more item to consider for a travel-minded friend or family member is a professional leather portfolio. Along with a ring binder, these zippered cases have pockets designed for a tablet, a pad of paper, pens, business cards, and other necessities.

Safco Pivot Seat

Offices everywhere are realizing the health benefits of standing desks, but they don't have to be restricted to the workplace. Any home office space can be a standing desk system easily with Kantek converters that are sturdy, easy to adjust, and minimizes the amount of desk space it uses. In addition, Safco has a line of seating designed to work with standing desks. The Pivot seat keeps all the benefits to standing while relieving pressure on the spine and muscles.

All of these and other goodies like fine writing pens and adult coloring books and accessories are available on our Holiday Page!