What Makes a Good Gift for An Entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurs follow a spirit of drive and passion for their work, a spirit that often requires a significant amount of time and effort. The day-to-day life of a busy entrepreneur may result in a very lopsided work-life balance—heavy on the work and light on the life. If you have an entrepreneur friend or family member in your world, you know this one-sided picture well.

And what does that picture look like for some entrepreneurs? Bloggers fall into the black hole that is social media and forget to eat. Small business owners can’t seem to step away from the smartphone or Bluetooth speaker. Or worse yet, the work-from-home entrepreneur lacks so much social contact that Alexa and the Amazon Echo become co-workers and pals for water cooler office gossip. The struggle is real for these entrepreneurs, but productivity and general well-being can be enhanced with a little more attention to self-care. You can play a role in promoting balance with the perfect gift that aligns with the daily work life of an entrepreneur.

Look outside the typical Amazon-buying-box for entrepreneur gift ideas. Yes, audiobooks on Kindle or an Audible membership are always safe choices, but why not tailor your gift to the needs of an entrepreneur. Oh and please, step away from gifts like a waterproof notepad that are indeed functional, but may inspire a lackluster response.

“A portable charger. You shouldn’t have. No, really, you shouldn’t have.”

The best gifts for entrepreneurs support their goals in creating a successful business while also encouraging healthy habits, such as staying active and reducing stress. This can be especially true for those who work from home and need to set boundaries to avoid the blurring of work and life. Earn a positive evaluation from an entrepreneur loved one by gifting with purpose and assisting in the pursuit of goals and dreams.

Creating a Work-Ready Schedule and Space

The work-from-home trend rises, and with it, the need to establish an organized setting for creativity, productivity and all of the other ivity-ending words that make for a high-quality work environment. An industrious day often starts with that first cup of coffee, but your work-from-home entrepreneur may not have the time for a morning coffeeshop stop. Trade the Starbucks for Hawaii’s Coffee Box, which only requires a trip to the home coffeemaker and offers a varied selection of Hawaii’s finest java.

After starting the morning with a caffeinated boost, a work-from-home entrepreneur’s best business ideas will flow more freely in a space dedicated to work. Distractions can pull focus and clutter can challenge attempts to organize the mind and daily to-dos. Work • Space • Spark subscription box is perfect for women who work and live in the same location, offering office supplies, books and other items to put the happy back into the work-from-home setting. The entrepreneur in your life can simply put on a pair of headphones and listen to a digital download designed to increase productivity, or arrange the office supplies for an organized workspace.

Moving from Vision to Action

This component of the entrepreneurial life is relatable to everyone who makes a new year’s list of resolutions, but struggles to turn vision into action. Add the sometimes solitary life as an entrepreneur, and procrastination enters the picture, rearing its big and ugly head. Its big, ugly and stubborn head.

Despite the possible appearance of procrastination, at the heart of entrepreneurs is a vision—a big, bold and inspiring vision. The persistence needed to turn dreams into big, bold and inspiring action requires substantial energy. A must-give on any gift guide for an entrepreneur is an item that supports both the goals and the action required to make those goals a reality.

Sparkle Hustle Grow is a subscription box for girlbosses with the ultimate objective of inspiring genuine action. A motivational book, stationery, and office supplies are a few of the included products, along with exclusive access to an online community of fellow entrepreneurs, online business training, and more. Encouragement is always a great gift for an entrepreneur.

Making Time for Relaxation and Self-Care

Expectations of constant attachment to Wi-Fi, the Macbook, and cell phone at not only the hip, but also the head, elbow and any other available body part, can create a heavy amount of stress. Self-care that includes the eating of healthy foods at a regular interval—lunch at 8 p.m. does not count—and strategies for reducing anxiety should be at the top of any gift list.

A gift card to a favorite restaurant may help to ensure your entrepreneur friend eats, but opting for a monthly subscription box, such as International Meal Kits by Takeout Kit , offers the added benefit of helping an entrepreneur set aside time and establish a routine for cooking healthy meals at home. The global-inspired flavors and recipes are delicious and an easy solution to meal planning and preparation.

Stress and anxiety are not unfamiliar foes of work, but they can appear in different forms and amounts for the entrepreneur. The stress of running a business can run amok on health and productivity, making a gift that aims to alleviate stress a life savor for the entrepreneur. MindWander is a subscription box that is one of the easiest ways to give the gift of self-care. Containing goodies to decrease stress and anxiety along with boosting self-confidence, the workbook exercises, journals, candles, tea and other relaxation-inspired items will remind the entrepreneur to move health from the back burner to front and center.

Staying Physically Active

Long hours sequestered to an office chair increase the importance of staying physically active. Getting up and moving around every hour and breaking the constant gaze of the computer routinely surface as tips for those who work in an office. These suggestions apply to entrepreneurs, especially those who sit for a good part of the day. An Apple Watch or Fitbit can help remind the entrepreneur to get moving, but why not add a bit more fun to working out?

Street Team Cycling is a subscription box ideal for athletes or those who make business deals on the go. Or go even bigger in the staying-active department and get your digital marketing professional away from the wired-world and out into nature with the Hiker Crate . Hiking gear and gadgets for outdoor adventure and fitness, along with snacks, means the only step required is to simply walk out the door.

The next time you are looking for a holiday gift, stocking stuffer or just-because gift for the entrepreneur in your life, think about what it means to be an entrepreneur. The listed job position of “entrepreneur” on a business card often translates to all work and no play, and a schedule that neglects a balanced routine. With the right gift, you can change an entrepreneur’s “my list of must-dos” to include healthy habits like stress-reduction, while cheering on their professional pursuits.

Remember, before you swipe your credit card for the standard pack of pens or staples, think about putting a bit of “fun” back in the “functional” side of work. And in case you missed it, a waterproof notepad or portable charger are more functional than fun.