There is no way we can disconnect from the reality that the COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic and it’s impacting the life of the world’s population now and will reshape our future, whether we like it or not.

Trying to be of support, I decided to bring you some information and tips that can help you navigate this “emergency”.

To make things easy, I’ve divided this into 3 parts. Part 1 is about the day-to-day impact, Part 2 is about how to minimise the impact and Part 3 is about gaining a sense of certainty and being prepared for once the “emergency” is over.

As you know, only time will tell when we will be out of this situation. It seems that it can last through to mid-April or longer. Now is the time to start to reassess what you have been doing and to turn things around to ensure future sustainability.

How to Prepare for When the “Emergency” is Over

We don’t know how things will look once the “emergency” is over; however, as the quote credited to Peter Drucker says, “The best way to predict the future is to create it” and although thinking of creating the future in times of uncertainty might sound counterintuitive, it is the only way forward. We have to prepare for when the “emergency” is over.

You need to step out of the flow of concern and fear going around and take control of the only thing you can, which is your thinking and attitude.

If you can begin to set the way your business would take once this “emergency” is over, it would allow you to start to make the decisions and plans, make the changes and take the actions that will allow you to become stronger out of this situation. Even there might be fruits you can commence to harvest now.

You can start planning for the worst and hoping for the best, but having a plan is a MUST now, not an option.

We don’t know yet how much the way we work and make business will change as a consequence of this “emergency”; however, it seems that doing things online will be a predominant way.  

There is a saying in my town: “The one who hits first, hits twice” therefore it’s time for you to give the first hit by exploring options. 

It’s time to consider: 

• What knowledge or skills do you or your team have that you could use more? 
• What can you and your business offer that is useful or valuable to other people 
• What kind of services or products could you offer online? 
• Which business opportunities is this contingency generating in your field of expertise? 
• What tools have you already available that could help you develop new business avenues?

These aren’t questions to answer immediately, these are questions to meditate on, to brainstorm with yourself and your team, as also are other more personal questions such as:

• What is the deep reason you have created a business? (Dig deep, the response to this question is a lot more important than you think).
• What would you want to be remembered for?
• What would you want your business to be remembered for?
• What are your core values and how do they express in your daily life?
• What are your business core values and how do they express in your business daily?
• If you could create your ideal life and business, who would you be, what would you be doing, what would you have? I know this question is asked once and again, but for sure meditating on it and allowing your imagination to run for a while may bring to you avenues and opportunities you haven’t thinked of.

Although finances can be one of our main concerns now, this isn’t a moment to look for quick gains, on the contrary, as Anke Hermann said in her webinar How to Adapt Your Business in Uncertain Times, we need to start building a community now. That people who resonate with who we are, may become our customers when the times come.

Once through settling down the answers to the questions above, you have written down some options for you and your business, it’s time to begin to evaluate them in terms of:

• How easy it’s to implement each one considering the resources and preparedness required vs your current resources and preparedness (e.g. what you have and know and what is available to you and your business now; what skills you could easily learn, etc.).
• Which are more aligned with yours and your business values?
• Which could become an important income avenue for you and your business?
• Which fires up yours and/or your team spirits?

Choose 2 or 3 options to explore further, by setting a deadline to do a soft launch or run a pilot project and from there begin to go back to define milestones and due dates that will bring it to fruition.

Do not create a year plan, start using the 12-Week Year planning method proposed by Brian Moran and which I have been successfully using for myself and my clients, it gives a sense of urgency to each action, as each week and day counts and also it’s easy to adjust whether the circumstances change.

But please DO NOT FORGET SELF CARE, these times require you to be extra mindful, to maintain your stress levels as low as possible, to boost your immune system and to help others and ask for help, as and when needed. 

Therefore maintaining a daily self care routine, intentionally including in your daily activity: meditation or any other introspective or spiritual ritual; virtual coffees with loved ones; some of your hobbies; learning something you always wanted to, but never took the time to learn; reading; listening to your favorite music; dancing; etc., is as important as designing the blueprint for your business way forward once the “emergency” is over.