Self-care is a big buzzword these days. From books about the Danish concept of hygge to TED talks to “Treat. Yo. Self” on Parks and Recreation, it seems like everywhere you turn there’s yet another discussion about self-care. Although self-care might seem like another Millennial fad, it has existed for decades and has long been encouraged by healthcare professionals. From a business standpoint, proper self-care can reduce stress and improve office efficiency. More importantly, self-care combats burnout -- an epidemic problem that sabotages productivity for businesses. For a business owner, proper self-care is essential to maintaining a healthy work-life balance -- particularly during the holiday season, when stress levels are at an all-time high and you’re told to think of everyone but yourself.

The holidays are upon us and for consumers and retailers alike, this means one thing: gift shopping. The holiday season accounted for roughly 20 percent of total annual retail sales in 2013-2014 and has been growing ever since. This year, holiday sales are expected to increase by as much as 4.5 percent, with each shopper estimated to spend an average of $743 on gifts. Naturally, most of this shopping is expected to take place during major sale events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. RetailMeNot reports that at least half of all consumers are planning to shop for deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Here at Evosus Software, we believe in loving where you work. We scoff at the idea of work being boring and jobs being a necessary evil. We laugh at the concept of tolerating co-workers. We pity those that dread going to work and despise what they do. How can we not? At Evosus, we foster a company culture of positivity and gratitude. We encourage collaboration and welcome feedback. Laughter is heard daily at the office (usually from Development) and employees are regularly plied with doughnuts, zucchini, and other goodies. This happy work environment is apparent year-round, but especially during our annual company event, Spirit Week.

If you’re a business owner, summer is like every other time of the year: busy. Instead of family vacations and cruise getaways, there’s work, meetings, contracts, emails, work, deadlines, reports, and work. In the past, this meant spending long hours at the office and never seeing your family. These days, modern technology has allowed business owners to focus on work and family simultaneously. With the right technology, you can keep track of all your business proceedings, from analyzing performance to reviewing contracts, from the comfort of your home. And for busy business owners on the go, no technology is more right than the new Evosus Dashboard.

As a business owner, you know how expensive trade shows and sales events can be. In addition to advertising the event, you have to consider staffing, labor costs, exhibit costs, travel expenses, equipment and other miscellaneous expenses. In fact, according to E&E Exhibits, the average price for a 20x20 square foot exhibit at a trade show can cost $40,000 to $60,000 – and that’s just the exhibit.