This is my 22nd year in business and I will be the first to admit that there has never been a perfectly smooth year. From the ups and downs that the pandemic has brought to businesses globally, I know I’m not alone.
But this past week was interesting for me and my family. One of our 5 kids was sick with Covid and we had to quarantine. She’s doing great and has fully recovered but it was the balancing act that was tougher for me.
I run a pretty busy operation and the beginning of the year is always a key time for my clients who are launching programs and focusing on an entire year of progress. I was already booked to capacity and to have that interrupted was tricky. It does, however, make me appreciate that I am a business OWNER and can maneuver changes that work best for my family.
This is the REWARD of entrepreneurship… to be able to make shifts without fearing that a “boss” will punish me for prioritizing family. Plus, most of my meetings are with other entrepreneurs so they have experienced similar situations like this. I am very thankful that I have a WONDERFUL community of understanding men and women in my corner.
The other piece that may be slightly more tricky in my case is that we have twin boys that are autistic. They normally have therapy in school and here at home that helps us ensure that they are developing their speech, communication, and learning things that will help them like potty training. They are 6 years old now and we never take for granted the assistance we get from our family and their therapists.
We had to quarantine and of course, that meant shutting everyone else out physically. My husband also became sick but worked through the lack of energy to make things happen. We tag-team a lot of what is done every day and when he’s not a hundred percent it affects me. The situation needed new approaches and here’s what I will share in case you find yourself in a similar circumstance…
Make Peace with the Situation
I knew that my family’s health WINS over any other commitment. Everything else will need to wait and what can be done – we can do but maybe not to the level it normally is.
Stay Level Headed and Healthy
Thankfully, I never got sick and had no symptoms at all. I don’t know if I was asymptomatic or just immune through vaccination BUT I did what I could to remain in good spirits and health. I stayed hydrated and worked on getting rest in order to keep my stress level low. I am a big believer in how a peaceful frequency can keep you energized, happy, and healthy!
Delegate Tasks to VIRTUAL Admins
If you have been in business for a while and are still doing everything by yourself… it’s time to create a support team. There are so many solutions out there and it will make your operations much more efficient and especially handy for busy times. It does take a moment to get someone fully trained to best serve you and your business, so anticipate starting this process sooner rather than later.
Attempt a few things
I had some things that I was able to do and jumped in with ‘fingers crossed’. I participated in the Fearless Entrepreneurs Summit as a speaker and was able to extend my speaking time due to another person being unable to present. It felt good to accomplish some things – so I wouldn’t recommend completely dropping everything unless the interruption to your life is more severe.
Ask for Help and Assistance
My parents and inlaws dropped off some meals on the porch. Such a Blessing! We also took advantage of restaurant and grocery deliveries. We do this regularly though but I felt more appreciative during this time. I also had a new personal assistant start and she did an amazing job with items that needed to be sorted and organized in my studio.
Do you have things that you refer to when there are interruptions in your life or business? Feel free share in the comments 🙂
~ Marilen Crump #expertdreamcatcher
Business Developer and Marketing Strategist