One of the many reasons 2020 has been such an unsettling year is that it’s forced change after change upon most people. Hopefully, 2021 will be better. In any case, the start of a new year is always a good time to look at what changes may lie ahead. It’s also a good time to think, more generally, about how to cope with change.
Secure Yourself in the Present
The people who were hardest hit by COVID19 tended to be the people who were living life close to the edge. In particular, they were people with little to no savings, unreliable income, and/or debt. The best way to deal with change is to start from a secure footing in the present. In practical terms, that usually means doing whatever you can to sort out your finances.
Keep Your Eye on Emerging Trends
A lot of the changes seen during lockdown periods were actually emerging trends anyway. For example, both remote working and remote learning have been on a growth trend for several years now. The pandemic simply pushed the changes forward at a faster pace.
The companies which were already on top of these trends were best-placed to cope with the pandemic. Hopefully, there won’t be another pandemic any time soon (or ever). It is, however, still very much advisable to keep your eye on emerging trends. In simple terms, the better you can predict a change, the better you can plan for it.
Be Prepared to Invest in the Future
If you’re running a business, then you need to invest continually in research and development. What this will mean in practice will depend on what kind of business you run. Keep in mind that you may be able to set off some of the cost of R&D through the use of tax credits. You can find out more at https://tri-merit.com/services/research-and-development-tax-credits.
It’s also important to find money and time to invest in your own personal and career development. At the end of the day, a business is only as good as the people behind it. The problem for many small business owners is that it can be hard to give yourself an effective appraisal when you’re your own boss. The solution can be to invest in mentoring sessions.
Disrupt Your Routine From Time to Time
It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but you can make a habit out of dealing with change. The more you do it, the more you will learn to do it and the less intimidating it will be. Make a point of doing something different at least once a week. This can be something small. In fact, it’s usually best if it is. The point is just to create a minor disruption.
Try to incorporate larger challenges into your routine on a more periodic basis. For example, have a moderate challenge once a month and bigger challenges once a quarter. Try to tackle a major challenge at least once every other year.
Incorporating disruption and challenge into your routine will act as a reminder that you do have the skills and resources to tackle change. This will help give you confidence when unexpected change is forced on you.
