As I posted the other day, I had to evacuate due to fires. That kept me from doing a lot of my usual business, which is pretty much to be expected. However, there are things I did to make it possible for me to do some things, and some things I wish I had done.

  1. Always have your computer backed up.
    This one really should be obvious, yet it isn’t done as much as it should be. You can get multi-gig USB Flash drives for very affordable prices these days. Get one, use it to back up your most important data. Consider whether to keep it on or off site.
  2. Bring your computer if you can.
    I brought mine along, but left the monitor, keyboard, etc. behind. This kind of goes with backing up your computer, but it feels a lot better to have the machine itself along. You may or may not have room for the computer, and the monitor, keyboard and other parts are far more easily replaced than your data and overall setup.
  3. Have your passwords handy.
    If you have them all memorized it will be easy, but sometimes it can be hard to remember while under stress which password goes to which site. I have a notebook with many of my passwords and logins, listed in a format that is designed only to jog my memory, rather than writing out the actual passwords. But I hadn’t updated it recently, and some were wrong while other sites weren’t listed.
  4. Consider hiring help.
    If you aren’t going to be able to do it all yourself during an emergency, consider hiring a virtual assitant for the duration. This will get your emails answered and any basic help you need otherwise taken care of.
  5. Figure out if it is realistic for you to keep working.
    Sometimes during an emergency it will be. Other times it won’t. Since I stayed at my mother’s house rather than at a shelter I was able to use her computer for some minimal work. Not at all the same as working on my own computer (especially the difference in keyboards!), but it made a little bit of work possible.
  6. Go for the personal touch when appropriate.
    If it’s going to impact how you’re doing business, go ahead and let your customers and website visitors know what’s up. Most will be understanding. For those who aren’t, well, that’s what personal assistants are for, in part. If the needs are too complex for your assistant sometimes you will just lose the business of that client.
  7. Be prepared to be stressed.
    Being evacuated from your home due to an emergency is stressful. You don’t know if your home will be there when you get back. There’s too much news and too little information much of the time. Your spouse and/or kids may need more of your time.
  8. If you have kids make plans to keep them busy.
    One thing I really wish I had done was to bring more toys for my kids to play with. But I did remember markers and other fun things. Movies were good and kept them distracted from the news. So far as my daughter was concerned, it was a big party with her cousins.
  9. Remember what’s important.
    Beyond your worries of keeping up with business and wondering if you still have a home, there are more important things in life. If you still have your family and your health, things aren’t all that bad. You can get back on your feet again after the crisis is over.

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