6 ideas for navigating uncertainty

During times of uncertainty, it is always a good idea to be intentional. This may seem challenging when so much feels out of our control.

Over the last couple of weeks, as the pandemic pushes all our will, there have been so many posts offering encouragement on how to navigate this time. I don’t have any wiser words to say so I’ve borrowed this list from a wise person on LinkedIn (who in my haste to jot them down, I neglected to write down the name to credit).

6 ideas for navigating the unknown

Develop a plan. It doesn’t have to be anything long term. In fact, it will likely be more effective and actionable if it is short term. This could be a plan for the next month, week or even day. It might be focused on your business, your family or both wrapped into one. Or you might approach each of these separately. In the end, having a plan gives you something to control and offers some level of normalcy.
Go virtual. Take parts of your business to the online space. Create a course. Sell your products through and online store. Write blogs. Create a podcast. Maintain meetings and social connections via video chats. There are so many ways to move a business to a more virtual existence. Yes, there will likely be a learning curve. And yes, you need to understand how this fits within your brand. But consider it. If you need help setting up an online store, I’ve included a link to Easton Designs (Brook was my guest in episode 37).
Get organized. Whether this is managing the paper explosion that has happened on your desk. Or organizing your thoughts. Taking control of the clutter in the place of chaos is another way to create peace and normalcy. Reach out to a professional organizer and see what they are offering virtually. I’ll link a couple of my favorite organizers in the resources. Maybe the organizing that needs to be done is in the form of overcoming busyness. Check out my interview with James Mayhew for ideas and tips for this.
Work ahead. What work can you do in advance? I’ve heard and seen a lot of resources on time batching. Simply put this means doing a bulk amount of the same type of work during one period of time. For example, I’m going to work on batch recording episode of this podcast. It will save me time in the long run and allow me time to focus on other more important or time-sensitive items when we are able to come out of our social distancing cocoons. Other tasks that could be done ahead of time: food prep, blog writing, social media posts. Google “how to batch work in business” and you’ll find 3M articles to help you with this one.
Give back. How can you support others during this time? A friend of mine said she is going to write reviews for her favorite businesses. Another delivered pizza to the employees of retirement and assisted living facilities. Our neighborhood is decorating our windows with a collective theme so when people go for walks, they have something fun to focus on. Be creative with this one.
Take a moment…. for yourself. Your friends, family, colleagues and clients all need you. But you cannot be there for them if you aren’t there for yourself first. Find a podcast to listen to (check out my list). Meditate. Work out. Eat well. Don’t beat yourself up for things you cannot control or for not getting enough done. Be kind.

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