I read a blog the other day that made me think more positively. Rather than dwelling on the things I can’t do right now or the challenges I face, this blog hit home and made me think of the things that I can be doing right now!
So I created this list of FREE things which, for me, makes a double positive! I’ve also included some links or ideas that are also FREE!
Although this list is written for entrepreneurs, many of these things can be adapted to just about anyone. No doubt, this is a time when everyone is watching their finances and may feel unconnected due to isolation. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay positive!
DREAM
I start with this one because I think it’s important to not forget to look ahead. Dream about the opportunities ahead. Dream about what you would like to do when you are no longer in isolation. Dream about ideas and journeys and what makes you happy. Create a list and every day, review it, or one item that makes you smile when you dream about it! Here’s a link to popular journaling apps.
NEWSLETTER
If you are not doing a newsletter then it’s a great time to start one. If you are, then continue to gather materials so you have the resources when you need them. Gather articles, your own photos, ideas, themes. Plan them out for a few months. Stay ahead of the game. Here’s a quick read about newsletters.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Although there may be too much on social media right now, it’s still a good a communication tool. Take time to clean up the groups you belong to and the pages you like. Review new groups. And share positive, real, and relevant posts. Comment on people’s post with positive and happy notes.
SOCIAL MEDIA CALENDAR
If you’re a business owner, take a bit of time each day to create or continue to build your social media calendar. Once business picks up, you’ll appreciate having the content ready to go. HubSpot offers some excellent templates.
TOUCHPOINTS
Spend a few minutes each day checking in with people. An email, a call, a private message – whatever it is, select a few people a day and make it happen. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.
REVIEW YOUR BUSINESS (OR LIFE) PLAN
When business is a bit slower, take out the business plan and see where you are. Is it time to adapt or set out new timelines? It’s also a great time to review your life plan – do you have your Will and Power of Attorney’s up to date; what places do you want to visit that you now have time to research. It seems that life will never be normal again, but it will be normal again, so continue to plan & dream.
CREATE FREE OR NEW OFFERS
As a business owner, what can you give your audience? Is it time to create some new materials, new opt-ins, new programs? Start a list of ideas and see what jumps out at you. Or take a look at the list you have and what can you put into action right now. This is a limited time offer, but here’s a link to a Udemy course to create your own online course.
TRAINING
There is an abundance of free training out there. What do you want to learn? Check out YouTube or LinkedIn learning. What is of interest – and this doesn’t just apply to work – maybe you want to try yoga or some type of cooking lessons – Google is your friend. Many people are offering free online training so take advance of it!
UPDATE YOUR CONTACT LIST & DATABASE
No better time than the present to do an export and a clean up. Check your emails and see if there should be people on your list that aren’t or your business card pile that you haven’t tackled in awhile. From a personal standpoint, same thing – what little notes and scraps of paper do you have floating around the house with phone numbers and names, put them into your address book!
SET UP NEW APPS YOU WANT TO TRY
Need to get organized, there’s an app for that. Want to create an online notebook, there’s an app for that. Struggling with your scanner, there’s an app for that You get the point. Now’s the time to select a few and get them setup and working for you. Here’s a few of my favourites:
- Trello – task list
- Calm – meditation
- OneNote – online notebook
- LastPass – password saver
- Genius Scan – scanning from your mobile device
- Dropbox or Google Drive or Microsoft One Drive – get set up on a cloud
BONUS FREEBIE: One very important free thing you can do & should do is to back up your computer!
I hope you find a few of these FREE things helpful as you contemplate what to do next.