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You CAN make plans and you SHOULD

I’ve been hearing the declaration “I can’t make plans” a lot lately. This is usually followed by an explanation that, clearly in this time of uncertainty, “it’s just not possible to plan ahead”.

Bullocks.

Not only is it possible, it is now more important than ever!

As a leader(and most people reading this are) you must still have a plan. Your team, your employees, your family, yourself all want you to have a plan. They will not say this out loud perhaps. They may even scoff at the notion of planning when the world will likely be upside down again by next week. But so what? 

Plans change. All the time. Not just in times of uncertainty. I’m sure you’ve had many plans and projects where you’ve set out on one course and ended up changing it more than once to get to your destination. 

It’s okay I do get it. I understand that things are changing more often and it feels like nothing can be certain.But when is anything ever certain? And why should that stop you from moving forward, from leading however best you can with what you have?

Here is how it works. You consult the current information about the landscape you and your business/team find yourself in. You may also consult with others around you. Then based on the information you have now, you make a decision on a course of action. The point is, you must make decisions about your strategy and run with that model so long as it’s viable.

When we stop making decisions become inert, we feel powerless. Those around us, who look to us for leadership, get confused and apathetic. Now is the time when your leadership is needed more than ever.
Whether you’re leading a team, a company, a family or yourself – all are important. Don’t stop making decisions and taking action. Just adjust some other things…

Yes, you will need to adjust your expectations.
You may have to change the plan again when you have new information. But that’s good right? You want to making decisions with the best and most up-to-date knowledge.

You will need to be flexible.
Holding on too tightly to your plan is not a winning strategy. Goals are always meant to be guideposts and you while you still continue to look to your destination, be a little flexible with how you get there and how long it takes.

You will need to review your plan.
Of course it goes without saying that you will make a plan and also a plan to review it in a month’s time (or week’s time..).

All of these three things work together: adjust your expectations, stay flexible on your path and review regularly. Apply this approach and you can make any plan right now.


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Coping tips: Coronavirus pandemic panic

With the caronavirus being declared a pandemic and our government and institutions recommending social distancing, we do indeed live in unusual times. For many of us, this is our first experience of a global health crisis with a potentially significant impact on our home soil. In such situations, it’s natural to feel a little uneasy. But what you don’t want to do is panic.

Today I share with you some coping tips for you and your business, to get you through the next few weeks (or months) of this crisis.

It’s important to stay calm, most especially for those of us who are in a leadership position at work or home. What we all need right now is good leadership. 

It’s also important to stay calm simply for your own wellbeing and for those around you. The situation is challenging, so try not to add to it if you can help it…

Try implementing a few of these tips over the next week or so to better manage this situation:

Stick to the real facts
It can be confusing with a variety of information that seems to conflict, so go straight to the source of the facts. Don’t rely on your favourite social media platform for your information. Social media does serve a great purpose to distribute information but it’s also heavy on emotion and opinion. This is likely to increase any unease you may already be feeling. Check out the World Health Organisation website and NSW Health.

Self-care practices
Regardless of whether you’re feeling particularly stressed or not, it’s a good time to implement some regular self care practices. Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Self-care can help deal with and prevent anxiety and stress. It also promotes your general wellbeing. Self-care is a very subjective practice, choose what works best for you: cycling outdoors, getting a massage, colouring in, dancing, climbing, listening to music, relaxing on the couch with a book, walking in nature…

Have a plan for your business and family
Most of us are living day-to-day in expectation of changes to our work and home practices. With such uncertainty it’s best to counter that by creating a plan. A plan will outline how you will deal with the pandemic moving forward. In the case of your business (with or without employed staff) you must examine the potential outcomes: How will this affect my business over the next few weeks? Is cashflow affected? What can I do now to prepare?Those of us who also manage a household should have a plan. It could just be a discussion that you have with your significant other: What will we do if one of us becomes ill? What do we tell the kids? Are we financially okay if one of us can’t work for a month? What new rules should we be enacting? 

Apply for the government rebate on your business PAYG
Most small businesses that employ staff are eligible for the government rebate and it looks like it will be almost an instant rebate. When you lodge your BAS you will receive a refund if you are eligible. Quarterly lodgers will be eligible to receive the payment for the quarters ending March 2020 and June 2020. Monthly lodgers will be eligible to receive the payment for the March 2020, April 2020, May 2020 and June 2020 lodgments. Check out the Factsheet here.

Talk with others
While social distancing is the new approach, that doesn’t mean to stop communicating all together. Keep in contact with colleagues and other business owners to chat about how they’re dealing with it all. It will help them deal with it and potentially give you some ideas.
Limit your news intake & social mediaIt’s normal to want to keep getting updates about a situation that is potentially threatening, however, this will only increase your anxiety. Stay informed and connected but limit your internet time each day so it’s not excessive. 

Focus on keeping yourself and family/staff well
Are you doing all you can to keep yourself and your family/staff healthy? Good quality wholefoods (otherwise known as fresh fruit & veggies, unprocessed grains..) and plenty of water. Keep up your exercise routine if you’re feeling well, rest if you feel you need it. Make sure staff have clear directions about what they should and shouldn’t be doing for the benefit of their health and those around them. Be flexible and understanding as everyone in the office deals with it in their own way.

Keep laughing
Yes the situation is serious, but it’s also important to remember to laugh when you can. Laughter is one of the best ways to deal with difficult situations as it shows us the lighter side of our experience.It lightens our viewpoint and releases some tension. So watch a comedy or trade stories with your friends about your experiences. 

Double down on your kindness to others
When people feel threatened and start to panic, it can happen that they lose all consideration of others. We are all in this together. It is not about survival of the fittest. Now is the time to double-down on your kindness to others. Small things go a long way… thank the bus driver, smile at your waitperson, let someone in line at the supermarket, offer your elderly neighbour assistance, call your parents/relatives…

Get enough rest and downtime
Dealing with uncertainty on a daily basis is tiring. Our brains like certainty and if the boat is rocking every day it really feels uncomfortable. Dealing with more information, changes at work and to your plans… all these things can make you a bit more tired at the end of the day. So, make sure you get adequate rest.