Tips for Entrepreneurs to Adjust to Post-Pandemic Life
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but It’s hard to imagine my life without the convenience of staying home all the time.
Now that things are opening back up, I’m starting to take a few meetings in person and going to happy hours. This has me wondering how I’m going to adjust to yet another “new normal.”
When the pandemic began, it was hard to do anything because everything was so uncertain.
But as time went on, I have gotten used to a certain level of productivity.
Looking forward to a post-pandemic world, I am realizing that I am going to have to schedule extra time to get ready each day and not just dress my upper half for Zoom, plan to commute instead of fitting in chores and dog walks between meetings, and prepare meal to go instead of simply walking to my kitchen.
And there are going to be a million other little adjustments.
As much as I am glad to see my friends and family again, I’m equally nervous I won’t be the super efficient person I’ve been while staying home all the time. I should also mention that I’ve always worked from home, so I can’t even imagine what the transition back to office life is like. Extreme?
Change is hard.
As entrepreneurs, creators, and small business owners, we have ultimate control of our life. There’s no boss telling us how it’s going to be, but there’s also no structure to make sure we’re balancing work and play. This means we can have everything we want or spiral out of control just as easily if we don’t have the right priorities and discipline.
Looking forward to a post-pandemic life, here are a few tips to make sure this transition gets you where you want to go.
1. Protect your schedule because you’re the only one who will
It all starts with a schedule.
A schedule is just a plan. It’s your guide to getting what you want out of each day and should help you balance work and rest so that you have the stamina to reach your long term goals.
So the first thing is to open up your calendar (digital or paper) and start blocking off time for the things you want and how you’re going to make it happen. Don’t forget that you may need more time to get ready and get places and be sure to make time for the little things like if you can’t throw a load of laundry in between meetings anymore, when will it happen?
Next, you have to remember that you are the only one who cares about your plan and you’re the only one who knows why you need it. Everyone else is just looking at the short-term goal of getting on your calendar without any concern as to why your schedule will help you meet your long-term goals.
If you can make a schedule with enough time to work and play, you will certainly have enough time to work and play.
Plan on a client asking to have yet another urgent project (contract creep!) or a vendor can’t work within your availability. This kind of thing is going to happen and puts you at risk of having days of endless work with no balance.
Be ready to say no (politely and professionally of course) when something doesn’t work with your schedule
2. Make time for the people that add value to your life
It’s very exciting to see people I haven’t seen in more than a year. And with so many things to do (outside the house!) I am eager to see everyone.
But there’s still a limited number of hours per day.
Again, it’s all about finding balance. We can’t make up for the year and a half of not socializing all at once. Instead, try to approach your network gradually. Think about who you have missed the most, who has left a big hole in your life, and prioritize those people first.
I could take this a step further and say that we should apply this technique to the activities we’ve been missing out on too. Prioritize the one you value the most so you can get the most out of each day.
3. Keep your good habits front and center
During the pandemic, I got really good about taking care of my health and nutrition.
The two big things are working out and cooking for myself. I have always liked working out but now I’m in the habit of it, and I have never liked cooking for myself and now I love it.
But it didn’t take long before I noticed that my post-pandemic life included a lot more restaurants and skipping workouts. This stuff isn’t going to stick unless I make it stick.
The pandemic had a lot of bad parts, but all of us had some worthwhile personal growth along the way too. Going back to “how things were” doesn’t mean we have to give up what we gained.
Think about what has changed since the pandemic started that you want to keep around. For me, a quick and easy answer is that I want to continue regularly working out and cooking for myself. I’m a healthier and happier person because of it.
Maybe you want to stick with some of the hobbies you picked up to entertain yourself during quarantine. Maybe you enjoy spending more time outdoors than you knew before. Or maybe you adopted a dog that you love giving attention to. Whatever it is that changed you for the better during the pandemic, should remain in your life.
Things won’t be the same no matter how hard we try, so we might as well lean into the changes that we like.