3 Habits Entrepreneurs Use to Excel During COVID-19 Battling Mental Hurdles
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses were forced to adapt to remote work in order to continue operating while adhering to shelter-in- place orders. While some businesses are eager to return their staff to the office, others are considering adopting remote work as a long-term measure. Twitter and Facebook are two of the most prominent organizations that have announced plans to allow employees to work from home permanently. Before your company jumps on the remote-work bandwagon, there are some important details you need to be aware of. While the pandemic made telecommuting the norm, remote work has been on the rise for many years. From 2005 to 2015, the number of U.S. employees who telecommute increased by 115%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is because there are clear benefits to remote work. A study from Stanford found that remote employees tend to be more productive. Employees also report enjoying a better work-life balance, and companies who offer work-from-home options report less employee turnover. There is also a great deal of cost savings, both for employees who no longer have to commute and for businesses that find themselves paying less in office costs. None of this is to say that remote work is the silver bullet to solve all of your company’s problems. There are also major drawbacks to telecommuting. While some businesses report an increase in productivity after switching to remote work, others have seen productivity wane. The home environment, with kids, pets, and chores, can be more distracting than the office. When not following a strict schedule, some employees struggle with being self-motivated. Remote work can also threaten company culture. Isolation is a big challenge for workers. While technologies like Zoom and Slack can make communicating about work-related matters easier, it’s no replacement for in-person communication. It’s harder to read body language over video conferences and nearly impossible to relay tone over text messages. Digital communication is a real barrier for team bonding. Your employees may be able to discuss work-related matters, but if they are not connected on a personal level, you will see your company culture suffer. Is working remotely the right move for your business? Only you can make that call. Take a serious look at the needs of your business, your employees, and your clients and ask if working remotely is really a smart move for you. TIME TO INVEST IN A HOME OFFICE? The Pros and Cons of Working Remotely
Why did some companies thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic while others had to shut their doors forever? The answer is simple: Successful companies embraced creative solutions to overcome the obstacles of the shelter-in-place orders. Creativity is key to a profitable business. Innovative problem-solving is how business leaders come up with new ideas, address unexpected issues, and inspire their teams during difficult times. Here are a few habits that resourceful entrepreneurs share.
They make a schedule.
Though it may sound counterintuitive, structuring your day actually improves your ability to be creative. Establishing a schedule in advance allows you to avoid having to make small, inconsequential decisions. You won’t be distracted by wondering when you’ll get lunch or if you’re missing a big meeting. It’s all already on the calendar. Reducing daily decisions gives you more time to think about what matters and helps you dedicate more of your mental energy to solving problems or refining big ideas.
They take time to recharge.
This doesn’t mean spending all day watching Netflix. Recharging your imagination is an active process. If you’re feeling creatively drained, go to a place that inspires you. This could mean taking a walk around a park, going on a hike in the woods, or visiting your local library. Immersing yourself in others’ ideas can also help recharge your creative batteries. Swing by an art museum, pick up a new book, or treat yourself to a solo movie date. Ask yourself why a particular piece of art inspires you, what makes it worthwhile, and if you would have done anything differently.
They practice creating.
You don’t have to wait for inspiration to strike. Cultivate creativity by making something every day, even if it has nothing to do with your projects at work. Doodle during lunch, sing along to the radio during your drive home, or write a few sentences of a short story each night. Don’t worry about whether these personal projects are “good,” just focus on bringing them into the world. Practice makes perfect. If you believe that creativity is something that only a select few are born with, then you might find yourself struggling to be imaginative during difficult times. However, when you view it as a skill that can be strengthened, you’ll develop habits to see you through what might otherwise be a creative drought.
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