How often have you said this about something on your to-do list? “I’ll do it when I get around to it!” Perhaps that time is now! As we enter a continued time of “stay home, stay safe” protocol to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus, many of us are experiencing the gift of time on our hands.
Several people have told me that their homes are cleaner and more organized than they’ve been in years. I’ve seen more neighbors tending to their gardens than I’ve ever seen before. If you live with others, you may have more “together” time than you desire. I hope you are creating a good mix of together and alone time — to nurture important relationships, and to nurture your own self-care.
I also encourage you to do something else that is important but has probably not been added to your to-do list because there’s no deadline by which it must be done: preparedness planning.
In your lifetime, you may have experienced earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados, or other disasters. Over this past Easter weekend, there were more than 40 reports of tornadoes that tore a deadly and destructive path across at least nine states. You may personally know the importance of preparedness planning from a past experience. Recently, you may have cared for a loved one incapacitated by the coronavirus or may have been incapacitated by it yourself. Sadly, some of us have also experienced the unexpected and heartbreaking loss of someone we love.
None of us know exactly when we’ll need to have our affairs in order in the event of death, incapacitation, or disaster. Those who have been unprepared while going through this will tell you that they wish they or their loved ones had been better prepared.
Although we may not have control over some life circumstances, we do have control over how we show up and how we respond to them. Preparedness will make a huge difference in how well we handle a disaster, incapacitation or loss.
In 2017, just after several Caribbean islands and parts of the US experienced the devastation of two hurricanes — Harvey and Irma– I wrote a series of blogs on disaster preparedness. I also wrote a blog with tips to help you get your affairs in order. I’ll share the link to each below.
Are You Prepared? Although none of us likes to think about it, we are all mortal. Regardless of age, each of us needs to be prepared for when the time comes that we die or become incapacitated. This blog offers tips to help you create a Personal Operations Manual – a critical resource that will reduce a lot of stress, turmoil and angst for surviving loved ones who are left to deal with the fallout of managing someone else’s affairs during a prolonged illness or after a loss. The time is NOW to get your affairs in order.
General Disaster Preparedness: Some of the suggestions in this tip sheet include preparing ahead of time for a specific impending disaster when a warning has been issued, and other suggestions are for general preparedness.
Are You Prepared for a Disaster? (Part 1) The first of this four-part blog series invites you to consider the man-made and natural disasters that your geographic area is prone to experiencing. This is the first step in preparedness planning.
Are You Prepared for a Disaster? (Part 2) If you and your family do not have an emergency preparedness plan, now is the time to create one and be sure everyone in your family knows the plan.
Are You Prepared for a Disaster? (Part 3) Having survival food and water is an essential part of planning for a disaster. This blog provides suggestions about what to have on hand.
Are You Prepared for a Disaster? (Part 4) Do you have a disaster kit? If not, make it a priority to create one. You never know when you’ll find yourself in a situation where you have to manage without food, water, power, internet, or the ability to head out to the store to buy what you need.
Support Offer from Kathy
Please let me know how I can support you. I have blocked out some time dedicated to providing phone coaching free of charge. It’s on my heart to provide high virtual touch support to those who reach out for it. To schedule a time to connect, click here.
Additional Resources
- Blog: Create Healthy and Supportive Habits While Working from Home
- Blog: A Gift the Coronavirus Has Given Us
- Blog: Befriending Difficult Emotions in a Time of Crisis
- Free Webinar: Managing Priorities
Note from author:
I want to acknowledge that working parents make up roughly one-third of the U.S. workforce. Some of my subscribers have reminded me that the new pressures on working parents — to be full-time employees and full-time homeschool teachers while protecting their families from the pandemic — are exhausting and provide anything BUT the gift of time.