How to Stay Productive During Chaos

The Caleb Wojcik Show: Interviews with Creative Entrepreneurs (Filmmakers, Photographers, YouTubers, & More)

#85 - With the CO-VID19 coronavirus, the world is a bit crazy right now. But I wanted to do my part to share how I’m trying to weather this as an entrepreneur and small business owner and give you some tips for how to best spend your down time during any pandemic quarantines.

Now is a time for getting prepared. Not just through buying toilet paper, but using this time wisely to make sure on the other side of this pandemic you’re set up for success.

Most of the external precautions and panic are causing cancellations and closures that will either directly or indirectly impact what you do for work. Whether those are events you attend to network at and find clients or customers are being cancelled, products you promote are getting delayed, or just the overall wallet tightening that happens during an economic downturn, chances are you’ll be impacted financially.

If you've been sent home from school, are forced to work from home, or all of your business has suddenly dried up, the best thing you can do right now is work to take back control of the situation.

First and foremost, yes, take all the precautions you need to. Stock up on non-perishable food, take care of your family, and stay informed.

But, if you're like me, you've checked the news more this week than you did in all of 2019 and it is time to make better use of your time.

Here is a hierarchy of how you should spend your time.

1. Build.

2. Learn.

3. Audit.

4. Distract.

You can only sit in fear for so long. Fear is productive to a point. It made me cancel a vacation, go to the grocery store before the frozen food was all sold out, etc. But once the fear gets you to accomplish the utilitarian thing, it’s time to re-group and move forward.

So, go. Do something productive. Make a list and check things off.

You can only quarantine and chill for so long.