Conquer the Covid crisis…take care of yourself!
This series of articles is designed to help you not just navigate and survive the Covid crisis but also emerge from the other side fitter and stronger. The series addresses the following topics;
- Save yourself to save others
- Your business and its cash flow
- Your staff and customers
- Steadying the operation
- Emerging fitter and stronger and with a clear direction
I will start with probably the most important aspect your all. You and your mental and physical capacity to deal with the rapidly unfolding crisis and inherent uncertainty.
Being cooped up in our homes 24/7 with limited contact with the outside world, uncertainty over livelihoods, concern for loved ones and fear about the future. Along with the many decisions that need to be made takes an emotional and physical toll. By attending to the basics, we can keep the ship on a relatively straight trajectory and ride out the peaks and troughs coming in our direction, making it more likely we will emerge on the other side unscathed.
Self care during Covid
If you administer oxygen to yourself first, you are better able to take care of your loved ones, business, staff and customers. So, we need to pay attention to the fundamentals of self-care by attending to the ‘critical 3’ (diet, sleep, exercise). But, also respond appropriately to the unusual set of circumstance in which we find ourselves, with some basic measures;
- Stay connected to colleagues, friends, associates and your network using online platforms and the telephone.
- Establish a daily routine.
- Separating is just as important as connecting. Maintain boundaries if living with others and take a break from each other.
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and practice self -compassion.
- Speak to someone who you know well / knows you well every day to help ease anxieties and worries.
We’re all in this together
There will of course be many ‘crises with the crisis’ and everyone’s circumstances will be different. ‘We are in this together’ is a soundbite we hear often. It’s true to an extent but certainly some are in it a lot deeper than others. This is a key theme in the next blog, in which we share the appropriate measures we can take to help save our businesses and our livelihoods.
For more information on how small business can navigate the crisis visit https://businessdoctors.co.uk/dontpanic/