Take a look at our newsletter this month.
Insider MARCH 2020 There’s an old adage of intelligence work – “nothing is ever as good or as bad as first reports would have it.” Stoic philosophers have taught that we should only focus on the things that we can From the Yolofsky Office THE HERO (305) 702-8250 | www.yolofskylaw.com
Making You a Hero to Your Family and Business NOVEMBER 2020
This year was a mess. Many businesses were not prepared for the roller coaster ride that started in early 2020. By March, most businesses were told to close their doors or restrict access to the general public. As a result, many businesses struggled and some never reopened. There was a lot of bad news. But we’re not here to talk about bad news. We’re here to talk about good news: your goals to kick off the first quarter of 2021! There’s a good chance many of your growth goals for 2020 fell to the wayside. After all, you had more important things to focus on, like keeping your business up and running. No matter, it’s time to look at your goals with a fresh perspective and use the lessons learned from the past year. One of the benefits of steering a business through a pandemic is that you can better identify its pain points. What sort of worked? What didn’t work? What flat-out failed? TURN PAIN POINTS ON THEIR HEAD Start by evaluating your pain points, if you haven’t done so already. Shaping your first- quarter goals around these pain points means you can start the year off by addressing them. For instance, are there parts of your business that you can trim? Are there areas that need a complete overhaul? Maybe in 2020, you were carrying too much baggage. For instance, a lot of businesses were operating under the assumption that employees needed to be on-site to be productive. Because of this, most avoided the work-from-home model. Business owners just didn’t see the benefits or assumed it wouldn’t work for them. But in spring of 2020, many businesses were forced to adapt, and several lessons were learned along the way. One major lesson: Work- from-home is feasible and cost-effective. A LESSON IN PRODUCTIVITY Nicholas Bloom, a professor at Stanford University, researches productivity and has contributed to the body of research that suggests remote employees are, on average, more productive than on-site employees. In 2013, Bloom ran a study on remote workers; it looked at their productivity when they shifted to a four-day workweek while working from home. On average, productivity rose by 13%. A FRESH PERSPECTIVE It’s Time to Set Goals for Q1 2021
control and not give second thoughts to those things which we cannot control.
2020 (almost done!) has given us an enormous amount to handle. We are still here and will bounce back from any setbacks that have occurred. With the election just a few days away, the possibility of disappointment or elation looms large. So what. Life will go on. Your family, clients, and customers will continue to need your labors. Indeed, many will look to you for guidance on how to move forward. If your reaction to the election results is either sadness or wicked glee, both are incorrect. You serve no one if you permit your emotions to rule you. Now more than ever, we need leaders in our communities. That leadership begins with a commitment to work together. Focus on the matters you can control. Good luck.
Continued on Page 2 ...
Give Us a Call! (305) 702-8250 • 3
... continued from Cover
YOUR NEXT STEP What other goals should you be focused on for the first quarter of 2021? Consider how well or how poorly you weathered the last nine months. This is a great time to address any issues that may have come up. I’ll leave you with a few more questions and ideas to help you with first-quarter goals: • Was your cash flow decimated? How did a reduced cash flow impact your business? How can you mitigate this in the future? (Potential goals: increase business savings, find alternative sources of revenue, etc.) • Did you have to suspend products or services? What led to this suspension? Were these products/services useful at bringing in new or recurring business? Did they help your bottom line? (Potential goals: streamline or phase out products/services that no longer serve the same purpose that they once did.) Before you start setting goals, answer the above questions or other questions that the past year has left you with. Home in on your pain points from 2020 and focus on addressing those in the upcoming quarter. Turn those weaknesses into strengths and start 2021 with a fresh perspective and a fresh set of goals.
Current data follows similar trends. In July 2020, Lenovo published a study on 20,000 workers who had shifted to a remote model in the wake of COVID-19. The study reconfirmed that productivity increased among those workers, with 63% reporting an increase in productivity (this includes completing more tasks on any given day, completing more tasks ahead of schedule, and being less distracted throughout the day). At the same time, many businesses reported that they saved money by shifting part, or all, of their workforce to a remote model. While upfront, short-term costs of this new setup can be substantial, the long-term costs (and savings) may be worth it. Fewer employees on-site may mean a business can consolidate space and save on rent, utilities, and taxes.
What’s the final lesson in this example? Many businesses are deciding to go fully remote. Shifting to a remote business model might be one of your first goals for the first quarter of 2021. If you’ve shifted employees to work remotely on a part-time basis, you’re already halfway there. The next step is to look closely at the numbers (costs, employee metrics, customer metrics, etc.) and work with your team to make it a long-term reality.
CABIN FEVER HAS NEVER BEEN SO STYLISH Is ‘Glamping’ the Perfect Winter Getaway?
When COVID-19 struck the U.S., travel restrictions had people canceling their vacation plans left and right. This meant that many would-be vacationers had to find some getaways a little closer to home — namely, camping trips and their fancier cousin, glamping trips. If you haven’t heard of “glamping” before, it’s essentially glamorous camping. You have access to the beautiful, rugged outdoors as well as all the comforts of home. While traditional winter camping certainly wouldn’t be a relaxing getaway for most people, glamping during the winter months can give you access to the peace of the outdoors like you’ve never experienced before without so much as a shiver or sniffle.
fever that besets us all during the cold, dark winter days, you might be thinking: How can I make sure I have the best glamping experience possible? Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks you can apply to any glamping location to ensure that your time away from home is just as relaxing as that Caribbean cruise would have been.
STEP 2: DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO SPEND YOUR TIME. Obviously, the point of glamping is to spend time in the great outdoors with winter activities, such as snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and other fun snow activities. However, glamping really shines during the frigid evenings. You can retreat indoors, throw some logs in the stove, prepare some hot cocoa or cider, and just watch the snowfall from your window. There’s no right or wrong way to glamp. All that matters is spending time in the wilderness with all the comforts of home — all while feeling refreshed and at peace.
STEP 1: DECIDE WHICH KIND OF LODGING YOU WANT.
Glamping shelters come in all shapes and sizes depending on the level of comfort you desire on your trip. The most rugged glamping lodgings usually still include a wood-burning stove and a nice comfy bed, whether you opt for a log cabin or a specialized glamping tent (sometimes called a yurt). However, some of the more posh options include amenities like fresh linens, private bathrooms and showers, fully stocked kitchenettes, and even TVs.
If you’ve decided to make glamping your go-to method of escape from the cabin
2 • www.yolofskylaw.com
BORED ON THANKSGIVING? PLAN A MOVIE MARATHON! 5 Thanksgiving Flicks for the Whole Family
1. ‘Free Birds’ — This hilarious 2013 animated film stars Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson as turkeys who have escaped the Thanksgiving table. Together, they go on a mission back in time to break up the first Thanksgiving and get turkey off the menu for good. 2. ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ — This old-school television special from 1973 is a Thanksgiving classic. In it, Charlie Brown and Snoopy navigate football, an ever-growing Thanksgiving guest list, and a backyard feast of junk food. 3. ‘Garfield’s Thanksgiving’ — Everyone loves Garfield, and this 1989 television special starring Jon, Odie, and the fat cat himself is another Thanksgiving mainstay. The vet puts Garfield on a diet at the worst possible time: right before Thanksgiving.
4. ‘An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving’ — This 2008 period drama is based on a short story by Louisa May Alcott and tells the tale of an estranged family who find themselves back together just in time for the holidays. It’s historical, heartwarming, and fit for all ages. 5. ‘A Family Thanksgiving’ — This Hallmark comedy is a funny combination of “A Christmas Carol” and “17 Again.” A high-powered lawyer is transported to an alternate universe and gets a look at what her holiday life could have been like if she’d made different choices. With these five films on your watch list, you won’t need any other Thanksgiving entertainment!
After a giant Thanksgiving meal, it can be tempting to sink down onto the couch and never get up — so embrace it! This Thanksgiving, try planning a family movie night to enjoy while the turkey settles. Movie nights are about as low maintenance as family hangouts can get. According to Elle magazine, actress Angelina Jolie credits family flick marathons for helping her survive quarantine with six kids at home. Her secrets to success are comfortable clothes like pajamas and robes, along with plenty of movie snacks. This Thanksgiving, plan your marathon around these holiday- themed films.
Take a Break
This butternut squash, oven-roasted and caramelized to perfection, could almost pass for dessert. You’d never guess it’s a dish loaded with vitamins and antioxidants! Sinfully Sweet Butternut Squash
Ingredients
• 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil • 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
•
1 3/4 tsp kosher salt
•
3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 F, placing the two oven racks at the top and bottom of the oven. Then grease two baking sheets. 2. In a large bowl, combine squash cubes, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and spices. Toss to coat, then spread mixture in a single layer over the baking sheets. 3. Place both pans in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Turn the cubes with a spatula and return them to the oven, swapping them to different racks. Continue baking 10–15 minutes until tender. 4. Sprinkle with rosemary and serve!
SOLUTION ON PAGE 4
Inspired by WellPlated.com
Give Us a Call! (305) 702-8250 • 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (305) 702-8250 www.yolofskylaw.com
One Financial Plaza 100 SE 3rd Avenue Ste. 1000 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394
INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Yolofsky Office PAGE 1 Is Your Business Really Ready for Q1 2021? PAGE 1 Is ‘Glamping’ the Perfect Winter Getaway? PAGE 2 5 Thanksgiving Movies for the Whole Family PAGE 3 Take a Break! PAGE 3 Sinfully Sweet Butternut Squash PAGE 3
Top 5 Healthy Life Hacks to Have an Awesome Morning PAGE 4 Sudoku Solution
Top 5 Healthy Life Hacks to Have an Awesome Morning
Getting your day started with coffee isn’t always enough. Sometimes, you need to give yourself an extra boost, especially when you have little energy or trouble focusing. For an awesome start to your day, here are five tips to get you going right off the bat. WAKE UP 5 MINUTES EARLY. What’s the power of five minutes? It can be more than you think. Spend this time doing simple breathing exercises or a quick meditation so you can get focused for the rest of the day. If that’s not your style, you can prepare a quick to-do list for your day ahead. Either way, it’s always nice to have a little extra time for yourself without losing too much sleep. START WITH GREEN TEA, THEN COFFEE. A cup of coffee at 7 a.m. can leave you burned out by 10 a.m. Try swapping it
with green tea for a more gentle wake- up call. After that, you can brew your favorite coffee to keep you going strong. This practice also might help you consume less caffeine overall!
to sleep? You can journal in the morning about what happened yesterday and the things you’re looking forward to that day. Journaling can remind you of your daily goals and motivate you to stick to your commitments.
TAKE A QUICK MORNING WALK — AND HAVE YOUR MEETINGS ON THE GO. Morning meetings can
PACK YOUR LUNCH (OR SNACKS!).
Staying on track with your goals starts with having the energy to do them. Plan a healthy
make us want to fall asleep again. Don’t
spend all of them sitting down if you don’t have to! Not only will morning walks help you wake up, but they can also add some extra physical activity to your day. WRITE IN YOUR JOURNAL. Who says you have to journal at the end of the day when you’re tired and ready
balance of fats, vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins. This can be as simple as assembling dips, carrots, wraps,
and salads each morning.
It’s time to try these tactics to jump-start your day!
2 • www.yolofskylaw.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs