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now created cultures open to videoconferencing, extra telephone calls, and better ways to stay in constant touch via chat or messaging apps. Communication keeps everyone connected, which increases responsiveness, attention spans, and collaboration. Embrace the Personal Working from home personalizes the workplace and there’s simply no way around that, so find ways to embrace it. With the imaginary line between work and family essentially dissolved, team members are coming out of their shells and becoming more relatable. Colleagues are sharing family moments on video calls — whether accidental or not — and instead of causing disruption, those moments can build team bonds that are stronger than ever before. A glimpse behind the curtain that reminds team members that the people they work with are more than cogs in a business machine leads to increased empathy. The blending of personal and professional can be liberating, not hindering. Encourage Collaboration Fighting a common enemy — COVID-19 in this case — created a new type of bond within a team. When people work together in the face of the same challenge, they bring a new level of connection to both colleagues and customers. Studies have also shown that during isolation, collaborating via videoconference can actually improve workers’ moods and work ethics. Enthusiasm for teamwork
increases when teams have to take extra steps to work together, solve problems, and be proactive during difficult times.
These fundamentals have always been in place, but working remotely proved just how effective and positive they are. The pandemic has provided a pivot point for company culture, whether you and your employees are still at home or are back in the office. The shift has been sudden but profound, and businesses are still making major changes that are leading them to see their work environment differently.
BATTLING MENTAL HURDLES
3 Habits Entrepreneurs Use to Excel During COVID-19
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. 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.
2 • www.TheSotoLawGroup.com
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