It’s a scary time for all of us but if you are sitting at home, worrying about how this will affect your or your partners’ work/business, current and future clients and customers, and overall income then this post is for you. 

The Coronavirus is serious, no one is immune and COVID-19 is on all of our minds. As we self-quarantine all over the world, here are some things you (and your family) can do to help weather the Coronavirus storm.

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Create Helpful Content For Others 

Just like this post, keep posting relevant information to your audience. 

Provide More Value To Your Community

Both online and off. 

Do your part and help an elderly or unwell neighbor out. Pop a note through the door offering to get supplies and write your phone number on it so they can call if they are lonely. 

Your online audience probably looks to you for value and advice, they respect you and your reassurance possibly means a lot. So don’t go quiet. Spread love and support amongst worry and fear. Give relevant information, ideas of things to do at-home, easy meal ideas, Netflix watch lists, TED talk recommendations, how to help in your community, and link to other content creators who are doing great stuff. 

• DO post ‘time to reflect’ posts, self-care ideas, money-saving tips, DIY tips

• DON’T be negative, scaremongering, or add to any panic

Improve Your Business Structure 

Whether you run a physical business, online business, juggle clients, make products or run passive streams, this will affect you in some way. 

If you have clients and customers, your number one responsibility is to make sure you are focusing on them, keeping them happy, and delivering on your work. Do not get distracted. People will be feeling more vulnerable and it’s easy for them to not spend money, to not invest, to not buy so make sure you are delivering on your end and treating your clients and customers like gold. Always. 

Focus on the backend of the business

1. Get those blog posts that are sitting in your draft folder finished and published.

2. Add pin-able images to your site and start pinning on Pinterest, you will see a return with traffic increase and potentially sales too.

3. Update your email sequencing, I use Mailerlite and recommend them

4. Add new email opt-ins and refresh your email sign-ups, your list is invaluable at a time like this.

Passive Income

It’s not too late to start brainstorming ways to toughen up and possibly add more passive income. Passive income is a great way to invest your time into something which will add value and bring revenue over time, with less effort in time (making money in your sleep). 

For example, if you have ever thought about making a product then focus your time and mind on designing that product. If you have something to teach, a skill you can pass on, then consider planning the curriculum to teach an online course. These forms of ‘passive income’ can literally make you money whilst you sleep, and can be a huge undertaking initially but pay off in the long term. If you foresee a quiet period ahead, start thinking outside the box and diversifying in your business structure to help in a possible recession. 

As an entrepreneur, this hasn’t affected my business too much as of yet because all my work is online. I write blog posts, create social media content, upload videos to YouTube, sell products and teach online. If I need to meet someone, I can do that on Skype, FaceTime, zoom. 

Right now, more people are at home and looking for things to do so videos and courses are ideal. 

This is what I have added in the last year

• A new range of prints to our shop

• Iceland Family Life Merch line

• Currently writing the curriculum for 2 new online courses for skillshare

Update Your Website & Graphics

Give your social media, online presence, and CV some love and possibly overdue attention. I often leave my CV and portfolio until I have some ‘downtime’ and can update the images and information. Social media is something we are often on every day but updating bio’s and header graphics can bring a new lease of life and possibly attract new clients. Offer to do this for others, you never know where it might lead also. 

Security Blanket

It’s human nature to panic, at times like this we can go into survival mode BUT this is not the time to panic. When we panic, we tend to make bad decisions and act out of character, dramatic and often selfish. Think about your long-term planning and goals. Don’t act on fear now. Be mindful of your spending. Don’t panic buy, hoard supplies, or binge on something. 

The best way to weather a storm is to be prepared - this is when a ‘rainy-day fund’ of cash comes in very handy. We all know ‘cash is king’ meaning having access to money, not having it tied up in bonds, stock, property, etc. Recessions happen, and they will happen again, so if you don’t have a fund then start to make one and don’t touch it. Stash a 3-6 month budget, you may be very grateful for it someday. 

Recessions Happen

Learn from this, and the last recession, and prepare for the next recession. Be proactive and plan so you can ride the wave of recession. 

READ - How I Survived The Credit Crunch

If You Have Money, See The Opportunity

It sounds bad but if you have some money to play with, if you’re lucky enough, then this is the time to seek out opportunity and invest in the stock market. At times like this, the stock market is very reflective of the situation and fear. If you can see opportunity whilst everyone else is panicking then you will come out on top. Think long term, play the long game. Investors invest in stock at times like this because they know the market will turn around, eventually. 

Keeping Little Kids Entertained At Home

I have Mia home right now - not because we are quarantined, just to be clear - so here is some Instagram accounts that might help if you’re at home with little people:

• 7daysofplay - Playful Learning • Crafts • Sensory Fun

• busytoddler - Making it to naps, one activity at a time

• mothercould - PLAY AT HOME & EASY RECIPES

• welcometomommyhood - activities for preschool and Montessori classrooms

• happytoddlerplaytime - Happy Toddler Playtime

• studiodiy - embracing color + making life a party

• recycleplay - the best-recycled crafts and activities for kids

And remember to go out for fresh air, a walk around the block or to a local park probably won’t mean interacting with too many people and if it does, try to keep a 2m distance apart.

Invest In Yourself

• Catch up on reading

• Binge-watch Netflix

• Catch up on vlogs (wink wink)

• Use this time to learn and take an online course like Skillshare

• Watch some TED talks, teach your kids stuff

• Teachers Pay Teachers - an inexpensive online store to help you teach any subject

• Get some fresh air (try to stay 2m apart from others)

• Have a spa day

• Clean the house, declutter

• Stick a good playlist on and have a dance party (just you, haha)

• Finish those craft projects

• Jump on YouTube and learn a new skill (knitting, editing, whatever)

• FaceTime friends and call people

• do some ‘quick meals for busy mums’ meal prep - amenuforyou

This Craziness Will Pass

Do Not Panic.

Stay home, stay safe. 

Take care of yourself.

Invest in yourself, use this time wisely. 

Yes, we might all catch some for of the Corona Virus so keep that in mind but by staying home we are all doing our bit to help slow the spread down, and that way the health care services can cope better. It’s not worth risking the health of others. You might feel that you are healthy and not affected, or could fight it off BUT it’s not necessarily you that you need to be concerned with - think of those you could carry it to.

how are you coping, do you have a plan in place?