Anyone entering the business world is likely an optimist at heart. After all, competition is fierce, and 50% of businesses fail in their first year. Add to that the amount of money necessary just to get off the ground, and you could say you have a talent for looking on the bright side.
Sadly, as 2020 unfolds and lockdowns continue, upholding this pessimistic outlook becomes increasingly unrealistic. Even if you approached the end of that first locked down three week period feeling positive, your confidence may have taken a hit during this extension. And, honestly, there’s every chance that even these three weeks won’t spell the end.
With that in mind, it’s just possible that letting pessimism into your working days could be the thing to get you through. Don’t believe us? Keep reading to find out why that could be the case.
An increased incentive to seek financial aid
If you’re viewing lockdown as a temporary measure right now, you might not see any pressing reason to take advantage of the financial aid on offer to everyone from restaurateurs to landlords.
The trouble is that, as we’ve seen, three weeks is a very loose figure in terms of when we’ll realistically be back up and running. With that in mind, landlords could benefit from seeking the business help outlined on Vail Williams, while hospitality workers and more shouldn’t hesitate to ask about relief with their banks. Sure, lockdown might end in a few weeks. Then again, it might not, and what would you do without money, then?
Less risk of promises you can’t keep
Of course, it isn’t just you who’ll feel let down if your optimism doesn’t work out. You also have a team to consider, many of whom are either having to reduce hours, work from home, or deal with furlough. If you promise they’ll be back in the office by the end of May; you’re sure to get their hopes up. Sadly, that’s not a promise you can make. By accepting that less positive reality, you can avoid promises that lead to workplace-wide disappointment.
A push to put ‘future’ plans into place
In part because of your positivity, you’ve likely already started making plans about promotions and other such efforts for once lockdown is over. But, with the belief that it won’t be long until that’s the case, you’ll likely put off actually implementing or even developing these rough ideas. And, that can see your existing profits suffering to such an extent that you never reach that imagined end goal.
That’s an issue, and again, it’s one you can overcome by switching over to the dark side. After all, someone who accepts that business might not be back to normal by September or gone is far more likely to pile imagined plans towards boosting profits in the now.
We’re sorry to break it to you, but pessimism, at least in theory, could just be the thing to see you through right now. Who would have thought?
