When COVID-19 starting kicking off, and before we were asked to remain indoors for 3 weeks, the MINT Business Club members helped me list all the activities they were going to do for their businesses whilst everything was effectively put on hold.

I started them off with 20 of my own ideas but they piled on the suggestions and now we have 66! Have a read through the list and let us know which you’ve done, you’re planning to do or other stuff you’re up to.

1. Delete all the old emails you’ve ignored for months and years
2. Check all the contacts in your emails are stored properly
3. Check you responded to all the emails!
4. Delete all the old documents and photos you no longer need on your phone and laptop/PC.
5. Order and store everything that you didn’t delete
6. Back up everything on your PC if you don’t already
7. Sort out your online storage in the Cloud too
8. Write a blog
9. Plan a series of blogs
10. Plan your social media
11. Schedule the social media that you have planned
12. Teach yourself something new – Canva, Video, something for your profession
13. Check and update your website
14. Check and update your LinkedIn profile
15. Set some targets to extend your network on LinkedIn!
16. Write and send a newsletter to your clients
17. See how much of your business you can do online
18. Download and learn how to use Zoom to offer 121’s to clients
19. Come out of the social media groups that distract you
20. Stay calm and put out the positive vibes…
21. Declutter/sort your home office! Louise heaps
22.  Define your brand voice.
23. Write your brand story.
24. Complete online courses you didn’t finish yet.
25. Declutter your life, clear your mind, get outside for a walk.
26. Start a simple project with the kids e.g. veg patch or mud kitchen.
27. Plan your next 6 months and mind map new ideas
28. Read a book you have been meaning to read
29. Volunteer to help others in your area
30. Reflect on your business, Hannah Hub
31. Get your saxophone out, Pip Coley
32. Revamp your product photography (use the opportunity to play with different props, lighting etc) and give your online shop an overhaul, Claire Edwin
33. Form online networking groups and connect with clients, build communities – not a replacement for the real thing but will see us through, Tracey Hutchinson and Julia Murray
34. Make more chickens, Sarah Ball
35. Investigate alternative social media sites to advertise your product on, Katharine Norris
36. Find lessons from this extreme situation, find the goodness… be the goodness. Dr Rebecca Williams Dinsdale
37. Look through LinkedIn connections and have a proper conversation with key people Lara Mellor
38. Write an online Masterclass
39. Shred old documents you no longer need
40. Daily Facebook live videos
41. Stay connected with your friends, colleagues and neighbours
42. Have a money diet – essentials only and reward yourself regularly with a nice spa bath, meditation, motivational, Rebecca De’Wessington
43.  Implement any new systems or procedures you’d been putting off, Joanne Rowland
44. Mindmap ways to innovate your business and reach out to people for a chat, Paul Short
45. Take some time to do some market research. It’s not just something to do before you start your business and write your business plan. Check out competitors, Leigh Trimble
46. Contact old clients and ask for referrals, Karen James
47. Conduct a Self-review and ask yourself – what has gone well for your business in the last 6 months, which areas are most profitable, which need issues addressing? We often don’t get time to take stock but will need to be super productive when we get back to things so where are the best places to focus our attention? Rebecca McGarvie
48. Check that your insurance policy includes business interruption for public health closures and infectious diseases, Darren Glanville
49. Reach out to anyone that struggles with any of those things you’re good at, Gary @ ThinkSmall
50. Get the sketchbook out and do some planning /designing for future collections, Claire Edwin
51. Revamp your product photography (play with different props, lighting etc) and give your online shop an overhaul, Claire Edwin
52. Go into your phone contacts and reconnect with people who you haven’t spoken to in ages. This won’t last forever, so plan future coffee dates, or do online coffee using zoom. Rie Pearson
53. Find things to automate. Update your contact details and FAQ page on your website, Rachel Locke
54. Create a database of potential clients, Jenniflower Shields
55. Create a social media schedule for the year featuring key dates in your industry, Danielle Stanley
56. Learn how to use WordPress and get your website SEO optimised, Sal Jefford
57. Block my day and turn off emails and deal with current inbox, Suzanne Whelan
58. Find time to look up and enjoy the sunshine, Nic Watson
59. Sorting out photographs and put them into files, Catherine Muir
60.  Admin! Make sure any paper records you have are up to date and sort and store them. Get rid of any documents you don’t need and take the time to tidy what you do have. Everyone ignores organisation because it can be tedious but it’s so satisfying when it’s done. Gemma Ryan
61. Follow/unfollow on social media and do a social media audit! Tessa Budd

ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

Get on top of your cash flow, do your accounts early, get your tax return done, make sure you have paid your bills and remind clients to pay theirs.  Darren Glanville, Laura Cook, Michelle Rose, Lorraine Ellison

Let us know how you are now spending your time and what you’ve achieved over the last couple of weeks for your business.

Join us in our Business Support Group over on Facebook