2021 – The year for a new Start?
We all thought this year would be better than last, but it has not started out that way. We are back in lockdown with restrictions likely to last into the spring, at least!
What do we need to do to stay in business?
- What does our business offer (products or services)?
- Did we have to adapt to the restrictions of 2020 to ensure we were still around in 2021?
- Have we reviewed our business plan for 2021?
- What are our monthly outgoings?
- Do we have billable work booked in that we can invoice and cover our outgoings?
- Is there a shortfall
- What plans do we have to increase profitability?
- Have we reduced outgoing effectively – anything further we can do?
- Do we have sufficient cash flow to sustain our business?
- Have we looked at all the government payments and claimed what we are entitled to?
- Even if that is time to pay!
- Have you planned in looking after yourself?
- Plan your time effectively
- Ensure you take sufficient breaks
- Do not sit in the wrong position with your laptop for hours on end – you will damage yourself!
- Learn to say no to things that you cannot fit in…. or at least to say not today!
- Look at your workstation and ensure that you have a proper set up for working. This includes, chair, table/desk, lighting, room to move around when working – if it starts to hurt your back/neck/arms – STOP!
- If you have staff members working from home, check their workstation too.
- You still have a duty of care for your employees working at home.
- What else do you need to do?
- Look at your business insurance – does it cover all eventualities?
- Do you have sufficient pension in place?
- Do we have a future plan should our health suffer?
- POA – Will?
- How can we work together to ensure our businesses stay viable?
- Remember why you are doing this
- Is the same motivation for your job the same?
- Do you still have the passion to do this?
- We have all had days when we want to stay in bed and forget the world.
- Plan in your rest time and you will be able to manage your work time more effectively.
- Set yourself realistic goals for the year … weekly, monthly, this year!
- Personal goals – dry January / Veganuary?
- Write checklists and tick things off when they are done.
- Start your day by making you bed, then however hard your day becomes, you have always achieved something to tick off your list.
- If you are getting flustered during the day by other peoples demands, stop and refresh!
- Look at your list
- Cross off what you have done
- Number the jobs in order of priority – not quickest to longest!
- Re-write your list in the order you need to do them
- Crack on!!
Sometimes our computer gets stuck, it jams up, causes us issues but what do we do?
Switch is off and back on again! That usually works so why do we not do that for ourselves?
Every hour make sure you get up and walk around – spend 5 minutes walking up and down your house and concentrate on your breathing while you are doing it. This will calm your mind and help you focus. Even do it if you feel you are ok!!
Do something that will calm your mind for a few minutes, watch the kettle boil and see where the steam goes – look at the birds in your garden – watch the rainfall on your window.
Switching off for a few minutes can give you more rest than doing nothing all day!