What Keeps You Up at Night?

Wow, just WOW!

So, we are halfway through 2020. Not sure that’s a good thing or not based on the current situation, right?

Well, we recently ran a poll and asked our readers, “What keeps you awake at night?”  Interestingly enough, it wasn’t Covid 19; at least, not directly.

If you didn’t answer our first poll, we’d sure like to hear from you. At the end of this blog there will be a way to reach me. I’d like to hear from you.

So, what is keeping our clients and other connections awake at night?

BUSINESS OWNERS

Business owners are rightfully concerned about the survival of their businesses and the safety for themselves and their employees if they are looking to reopen or have reopened. Others are concerned about employees working from home. Are they being productive, is the work getting done?

We were fortunate to have closed our brick and mortar office back in December and had everyone already situated and working from home. So, we didn’t have to deal with that, thankfully.

It’s becoming apparent that things may never go back “as they were”.  I was talking to a commercial realtor the other day. He said many are on “hold” waiting to see how things shake out (how long do we wait?) and others are actively renegotiating their leases. Some have gone to multiple shifts to limit the number of employees on site at one time.

There are plenty of empty buildings in our area and I am concerned we are going to see a migration from more in the coming months.  Not only is that an eye sore, but it also brings in potential crime and vandalism.

On the positive side (we always look for the silver lining!), we are hearing that many businesses are happy with their workers working from home and that in some cases, productivity has increased.  I am personally finding that not driving around town and spending time out of the office has increased my productivity. We are pretty much on ZOOM or some other online platform daily. And while it’s nice to “see” everyone, it still doesn’t have the impact of live and face to face.

Speaking of ZOOM and online platforms, what are you using in your business to connect with your employees, customers, or clients? If your business growth had relied on face to face meetings, how is the virtual meeting working for you?

What about large events and trade shows you used to attend—either to promote your business or to meet other potential vendors or customers?  I have attended a few online events, and some were much better done than others.  My coaching/mentoring group, Pinnacle Global Network, has had two three-day intensive events for business owners.  Both were phenomenally successful and generated great interest and high-level support for business owners. We have another one coming up in September 9^th thru the 11^th, so if you are an established business and looking for added support and a great community, click here and I’ll include you on the invitation link!

PERSONAL SIDE

On the personal side, folks were concerned about their families—impact of kids not being able to go to school or participate in activities outside the home.  This is a huge concern and I also have a 12-year-old granddaughter who has been bouncing off the wall since March. She is eager to resume classes but that doesn’t seem to be happening any time soon.  We are also concerned about the development of these young people, not just the scholastics.  Parents who have school aged children and must work-either from home or still at an office- are particularly affected.

Some are concerned about retirement and the current situation has seemed to also escalate the consideration to just retire from the workforce now. That brings on a whole host of other considerations, not the least of which is medical insurance coverage. If you have your coverage through your work, and you retire, what is available to you and how much will it cost? If one is eligible for Medicare that is a fairly simple process; but what if one spouse is not yet Medicare eligible and the other one is? That creates a different scenario, both of which we have worked on with clients extensively.

Click here: YES! I need quotes on Medicare and/or health insurance.

One of the other concerns that came up is, what happens to my spouse when I die? In this current environment, we are all very aware of our morbidity (chances of getting ill) and mortality (chances of dying). And we DO NOT like to talk about either, but it is a reality. Well, speaking from a very personal standpoint, having gone through that myself just a few short years ago, number one is to be sure your WILL & TRUST and all associated documents are up to date and everyone knows where to access them!  You need updated Powers of Attorney, both durable (financial) and medical; HIPAA compliance has changed the verbiage and if yours have not been updated in the last few years, they are probably not compliant and pretty much worthless pieces of paper.  Contact your estate planning attorney or message us for a referral!

Click here-YES! I need to update my estate planning.

WHAT’S NEXT

So, let’s all try to NOT let life interfere with our sleep. Reach out to each other, friends, colleagues, family, and let’s continue to comfort each other and support each other. Meditate, pray, stay healthy and safe.  My 89-year old Mom, who has been in lockdown at her Senior Living facility since March, wound up in the hospital after a fall, fracturing her pelvis in two places.  She’s doing better now, thanks in large part to the care of the staff who has taken over many of our duties. We are incredibly grateful. I also just lost a dear friend and client—not to Covid, but to cancer.  We are on this earth for only a short time, some of us shorter than others.  We all need community and connection.  Whether it’s online or small gatherings, let’s not forget what is important in life and cherish those who are important to us. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you need it, even if it’s just a phone conversation.  And we’re here for you, reach out if you need anything or just have a conversation.