Coronavirus turned almost everything upside down in spring 2020. But it had four major positive effects on my business.

Wow, what a ride these last eight weeks have been! On one hand, the time seems to have flown past me – and on the other hand the beginning of March seems to be as far aways as the middle ages (or some really naive and carefree version of the middle ages). Anyone else feel the same way?

When we made the decision to withdraw our 4-year-old from her daycare (just one day before the kindergarten closed itsdoors) I remember having thought about the weeks to come and asking myself how on earth could we manage two adults working and one 4-year old seeking for entertainment, with practically literally zero support network and nothing to do outside our home? It seemed like a mission impossible. 

And on many occasions, it was! I’m not going to sugarcoat it: There have been many days that I’d willingly give away if someone just took them. And many days I have been more ashamed than impressed by my parenting skills under pressure (or rather the lack thereof).

But today I want to share some positive outcomes. Because there are many of those, too, and at the end, it’s the point of view that counts, right?

1 – Finding clarity and courage

In the beginning of this new adventure, I had a moment of clarity. I realised that if I keep doing only the bare minimum of all the work and set my most ambitious goals aside, I will regret it in a couple of months. 

So I decided to stick to my goal to launch my online course early summer, for example, despite the fact that I could not see how to fit in the necessary working hours. Suddenly, limited hours made my goals and mission clearer than ever. Some small but very wise part of me realised that now is the time to focus down and work on those long-term goals and dreams. It has meant setting aside some paid projects that don’t align with those dreams and it has been scary.

However, this new clarity has encouraged me to put myself first and take some big steps in restructuring my business.

2 – Prioritizing self-care

To make all this happen at the same time: chasing my dreams, managing child care and household chores even at a relatively acceptable level, has made it obvious that I need some boundaries and self-care. My focused working hours are dramatically reduced, non-existent on some days, and it’s not possible to keep that up for all eternity without burning out.

For these reasons, I instated a strict self-care protocol. It includes daily meditation, regular exercise – out in the sun as often as possible. No working after 9 p.m. and no working more than one or two evenings a week.

3 – Sticking to positive habits

All this was backed up by some positive habits and I really started seeing their power in this new normal. 

When you are busy, you often overlook planning – I inserted a weekly 1,5 hour planning session to my calendar every Monday. These 90 minutes were dedicated to a routine called Monday Hour One. It took time and self-discipline to stick to learning a new habit amidst all the chaos – but it has paid itself back by saving time during the week and reducing my stress levels. 

I also decided that the monthly coaching calls on the Driven Woman accountability platform were a non-negotiable meeting, as well as checking in with my accountability partner twice a week. 

Thirdly, I kept writing a success journal, following a suggestion from Melitta Campbell. Looking at my successes at the end of each week reminds me that despite screaming at my family, missing a deadline or declining a client project, I have achieved so much in just one week. 

These positive habits – despite the time they take – have helped me keep my mindset positive and keep me taking these small steps towards my goals, every day. 

4 – Getting rid of procrastination

The fourth and last positive outcome from the pandemic is getting rid of procrastinating. In the “old normal”, I was a master procrastinator. If I only had one day’s worth of work for the week, you could bet on me doing it on Friday. But no more! 

And despite all the challenges, I managed to put together a new video series Skyrocket Your Communication, which helps you create content more quickly and scale your impact! Because I’m sure we could all save an hour or two on content creation – with or without the crisis.

So clarifying my goals and mission, amplifying my positive habits, upleveling self care and waving good-bye to procrastination – in just two months, while juggling all the hurdles of creating new routines? Not bad! This definitely goes to my success journal.

What good has the virus and lockdown brought to your life? Let me know in the comments below!