As a Small Business Owner what are your Backups?

As a small business owner I have to always be ahead of the game because on some occasions my body has decided to lose its efficiency especially when I get sick.

Those occasions slow me down and I don’t have someone to step in. I have to do my best to keep everything going.

When you are a small business owner what things do you have in place to make sure you keep your business going?

What happens if you are no longer able to produce work and have deadlines?

A few months ago I went to Los Angeles, got sick when I got home, and spent a few days in bed which really delayed most of my projects and stopped the progress on a few that where way ahead of time. There is nothing worse than feeling sick and then having in your mind all the things you need to work on. It is frustrating and is certainly not healthy.

In my case as a Small Business Owner I lessen the impact by doing the following:

Stay ahead on all my projects

When I have the opportunity, I make sure to get as much work as I can ahead of deadlines. If clients hand over any information I can work on, I start building and getting as much work done with the information provided. In the case of my blog, I am usually a few days ahead. Although it is something personal that I do, it is linked to my business and if I am sick for a few days content still gets published.

Always Tackle Priority Items First

I make sure I take care of the projects that are complicated and on a deadline first. Therefore I am able to meet the deadline or deliver before of the agreed date.

Planning Ahead of Time

If you plan ahead you always have a good idea of what needs to get done to finish a project or get something delivered to a client. I always plan for surprises during the day. If things flow smoothly I make sure I get some work done to get ahead of the game.

Work on Weekends

I am not sure I know the definition of a weekend. Since 2008 I have been working weekends and getting ahead of the game while other people relax. If you need the rest, go for it. If you think you can handle being less stressed during the week because you got work out of the way it is probably better to even put in a few hours during the weekend.

Build Solid Relationships

If you always deliver on time and go the extra mile most clients will understand if you are sick. If you have a client that thinks you are a robot then you clearly need to go look for better clients that think of you as a human being.

Overall I think many small business owners have a lot on their plate and it gets a bit difficult to pass some tasks off or get ahead of the game but everything is possible.

With proper planning anyone can be ready for unexpected circumstances. My recommendation is to deal with it at the moment taking into consideration the best options that should benefit you.

Any other recommendations so we call stay ahead of the game?