It’s only been a couple of weeks – but being forced to stay at home does things to the psyche. It’s almost like the word ‘diet’ – no sooner has it been uttered and we can think of nothing but eating. So, all of us are harbouring our own thoughts of what we will do first, do differently or appreciate most, once we can go out again – whenever that will be. Travel, restaurants, the pub, visiting friends and family – things we previously took for granted.
But for those running businesses, there’s even more pressure. All of a sudden, you had to go into crisis mode, shut down, talk to staff about cutting hours, or furlough or worse still – lay them off. That revenue that you were counting on to see you through winter, those bookings you had taken, they’ve all gone too. What are you left with – a name, a reputation, a pile of bills to juggle with no money coming in and some sleepless nights.
The fact that ‘we are all in this together’ is comforting to a point but let’s face it, there’s also the fact that you don’t feel you can share your problems, because there’s bound to be someone worse off – or it could seem tone deaf. You’re just wondering whether the last few years of work have gone down the drain and how you are going to pay the mortgage – someone else may have lost someone or have to go and work on the front line.
But this is the biggest thing that has ever happened to you. Everything that seemed normal and set in stone has gone or shifted and no number of funny memes on Facebook is going to make it right again. And you know what’s also scaring you? Ridiculous as it may sound – it’s not just the virus itself – it’s the thought of going back to normal. Because when the proverbial doors open and everyone rushes to get back into business and trade again – how will you ensure that you get a share of the business that’s available? Should you be doing something now to ensure that you are prepared – like an athlete at the starting blocks? But you don’t feel like an athlete – doing stretches in lockdown – you feel like a tortoise that has gone into hibernation…
I won’t say ‘fear not’ because that’s ridiculous – instead I would say that there are a few small things we can do to think about the bounce-back.
Here’s my top 10:
1
Accept that there’s nothing you can do about it. Things will not suddenly revert to the pace of life that we ‘enjoyed’ before. It will likely happen in stages and you will understand and appreciate what needs to be done when it needs to be done. All that is needed from you now is to stay home. You cannot surf the waves of uncertainty ahead of everyone – just lie back and go with the flow.
2
Consider the way your business reacted to this situation. Where were your weaknesses? For example, did you use a booking engine that immediately issued refunds to guests stripping you of revenue and the chance to negotiate new dates? Would future plans involve trying to get more direct bookings?
3
How out of whack was your work/life balance before COVD-19? Do you want to go back to the life you had? That treadmill has stopped – perhaps you need to set a slower pace going forward and do more with less.
4
Try not to set a timescale based on what you read or see or hear on the media. It’s easy to get your hopes up when there is a report stating ‘weeks’ only to have them dashed when another politician talks about ‘months’. Limit your access to one or two trusted news sources, avoid phone alerts. Set the radio to a music channel and switch off those talking heads shows where people phone in with tales of doom and gloom…
5
Be in the now – this might sound ridiculously zen but try to pull your mind away from what you are going to do in the future or what went down in the past. Look around you – at your home, yourself, your family. What could make this time better for you all? Limit your time on anxiety-inducing social media or stick to something like Instagram and post one or two pictures a day of the things around you. Clean the windows, take a walk.
6
Pay it forward. You may feel like a squirrel hoarding nuts for winter when you look at your business account. You tell yourself – how long will this money last and what happens then? Don’t let fear turn you into someone who doesn’t pay, or delays paying bills – especially to other small businesses Every bill paid, or freelancer hired at a time like this is a wonderful thing. It puts you in control, it is good for the economy and it will come back to you in karma in the future. I know so.
7
Keep in touch! You look like shit, you feel like shit, you’re miserable. We get it. But that’s no reason not to communicate at all. Can’t face Facebook? Get someone else to put out some posts for you – get your teens to do it if they are stuck home with you. Your prospective guests are stuck home too. Don’t try to sell, just say hello.
8
Lists – even if you don’t do anything on them – a list is a great start
9
Reverse your psychology on refunds. Nobody likes to have to give them and if we can avoid them through negotiation then happy days. But chances are that the people you have to refund need the money even more than you. If not – they are just being squirrels (see point 6) or arses – in which case, you might not want them at your site anyway and karma will do the rest. I know so.
10
Thank you if you are still reading at this point. I don’t have a point 10. This is a list and I can’t finish it. So what? My last point is really – don’t be hard on yourself. Don’t set yourself too many goals to achieve during lockdown. Some people will feel the need to achieve at this time. They will set up schemes, they will buck the trend and they will make a lot of noise about it. That’s because some people have a psychological need to do this and they can’t stop. If you don’t have this – then congratulations, you are normal and getting up before midday and brushing your teeth is also an achievement, so there!
by Steph Curtis-Raleigh
