With Victoria experiencing its 5th lockdown at present, I was inspired to think of as many ideas as possible for a business to stay busy and relatively productive during lockdown. Now, even if you’re in another area which is not in lockdown, you might spot a few useful items in here, so keep reading.
Productive Things a Business Can Do In Lockdown
- Review your “To Do List”. We all have them, so now maybe is a good time to pull it out and tick off some items.
- Get your bookkeeping up to date.
- If you haven’t already, prepare everything to have current and either send to your accountant or alert them it’s ready for them to access directly.
- Put your next year’s budget into your accounting software. I know at this time it might be a little painful, but it’s far better to know how you are going than to bury your head in the sand.
- Review your figures. Knowing where you stand allows you to make more informed decisions, so of course, be sure to review budget versus actual and to actually study your financial reports.
- Shop around for supplier/product prices and where appropriate negotiate. Often this task gets missed because we’re just so busy, yet it’s an important aspect of business. Lots of little bits add up.
- Shop around in respect of business loans or business credit card rates. Have you got the best deals, rates and packages for your business?
- Debt Collect. It is not immoral, it’s business. If you don’t get paid, you won’t survive and then you won’t be around to service your customers, employ your staff or help keep the economy going.
- Review your insurance; do you have enough (or too much) and are any exclusions still suitable for your needs?
- Check in with your customers and firstly see how they are doing. Take the time to pick up the phone (not just email, unless you have thousands of clients) to build the relationship. Perhaps also ask how you can look after them better.
- Do a client digital survey if you have too many clients that it is not practical to call.
- Check in with your team and ensure their mental health is ok.
- Don’t forget yourself; if your mental health is faltering; reach out for help. I have a number of great sites on my website in FREE STUFF.
- Do your staff reviews (if staff are feeling ok) and they are due reasonably soon anyway.
- Consider actioning any staff training which is needed.
- Review your website and its content; do an update or refresher to keep things current.
- Update your LinkedIn profile, bio or other profiles.
- Review (or expand) on your other online listings (also known as backlinks).
- Review your documented marketing plan – update as needed and ensure it’s being done.
- Update your documented systems and processes.
- Review your business plan, unless you have in the last 6 months.
- Catch up on your reading; maybe your emails, some blogs and articles online, or professional journals.
- Update your SWOT or Business Risk Analysis documentation; now might just be the time.
- If your business is seasonal, brainstorm (perhaps with your business coach) ideas on how to spread the workload more evenly and avoid the roller coaster ride.
- Review your current business structure. If staff work from home effectively and prefer to not travel, does it make sense to force them to rented premises when other options might be suitable longer-term? Spending some time considering the options might be sensible. Many businesses these days are allowing a mix of home days and office days and many staff are clearly loving it as they are more productive than ever. A happy worker is a good worker.
- Also, review your delivery structure. For example, you may be retail and haven’t ventured online; now is absolutely the time as online sales have gone through the roof since COVID-19 hit.
- Review your WH&S (Workplace Health & Safety) processes and ensure all team have recently been inducted.
- Refresh the premises; does the office need a coat of paint?
- Have a damn good tidy up – especially your warehouse or storage areas. I’ve done business coaching with clients who have a tonne of stock and just no idea what is there; you might be surprised what you find (and then don’t order next month because you actually already have it!)
- Clean your premises, the refrigerator, stationery cupboard etc.
- Get your filing and archiving up to date.
- Clean the computers (physically) but mostly the folders, old files, desktop, emptying recycle bins and tidying up disorganised directories.
- Do some goal setting and planning sessions with your business coach, your staff or the business owners. You don’t have to wait till January to plan for the year ahead. Strategy and planning is useful at any time of the year.
- Plan or organise a new aspect of your business, whether expansion, diversification, a new line or new product/service. So much time can be taken in the planning phase, including market research and marketing research, so use this time wisely.
- Update and refresh your business forms or templates.
- Refresh digital brochures.
- Write some blogs; you don’t have to post them now, but just getting ahead will give you a buffer of time.
- Prepare social media posts in advance; stored ready to use or pre-scheduled.
- Do some personal development and training. Something like ‘Time Management’ may be great for when things get busy again.
- Volunteer – whether that is now because lots of people are in need, or just investigating now to action down the track.
We are all experiencing a new ‘norm’ and whilst business is different and lockdowns can be more than just frustrating, we need to keep going and stay positive. Part of being positive is keeping busy and doing things which are going to benefit our business in the long term.
If you would like to talk to me about any aspect of my business coaching services, whether you’re in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, I’m here to help. The first session is on me, as I offer an initial complimentary sample coaching session (subject to availability and suitability) … just reach out to me at my contact page.
