These Are the Business Items to Focus on During Downtime

Entrepreneurs across the globe are currently trying to figure out how to handle the pandemic that is COVID-19 aka coronavirus.

With conferences/conventions (SXSW, E3), major events (Coachella, Houston Rodeo), sports leagues (NBA, MLB) and more either canceling or postponing activities, there is a lot up in the air for contractors and businesses of all sizes.

However, one thing is almost certain: There is sure to be plenty of unplanned free time on the hands of entrepreneurs and gig economy workers.

TCP is here to encourage you to use your time wisely! Check out our list of ways to properly take advantage of your extra downtime during this, and any other, frenzy.

1. Revamp your budget

There is a lot of unpredictability surrounding business for [at least] the next couple of months. Our team is in constant communication with other entrepreneurs who have seen proposals tabled and projects postponed indefinitely due to behavioral changes.

At this time, it is a good idea to take a closer look at your budget and remove/reduce items that you can do without such as tech subscriptions and random gadgets. It may be best to focus on essential needs only until there is a clear end to all of this.

2. Plan out your content, in a smart way

With more time at your disposal, this is a great opportunity to plan out future content. Outline topics to write about and schedule posts for the foreseeable future.

When drafting + planning, ensure you are not being insensitive or coming off as opportunistic. Consumers are smarter than ever before and hate feeling taken advantage of or marketed to inappropriately when there is already a ton of commotion.

Also - do not forget your ads! It is somewhat easy to forget about that one successful Instagram ad you have been running for a long time but it may be a good idea to take a look at it (and all of them!) to ensure your ads are aligned with your current organic strategy. Same goes for any scheduled content you made weeks ago.

3. Check items off of your to-do list

My to-do list is longer than Chris Brown’s last album, but thankfully I will get to complete many tasks during this downtime.

Here a few ideas for you once Disney+ gets old:

  • Listen to podcast episodes you have been meaning to catch up on

  • Read a few of the many articles you have saved in Trello (or your notes app)

  • Create systems, templates, and documents that can help your business run smoother

  • Record a few videos for your YouTube channel

  • Update your website

  • Set up an email sequence

  • Write intern job descriptions

  • Launch Instagram Shopping if you sell physical products

  • Analyze your website and social media insights

  • Update your LinkedIn

While this entire situation may seem like chaos to many, it is important to stay calm, listen to trusted news sources, and try to maintain as normal of a schedule as possible. Now get to work!