5 Lessons that the Halloween Weekend Storm Taught Me

The October winter-like storm affected a lot of businesses from Maryland to Maine, myself included! There was severe property damage for some businesses due to downed trees. Power outages and downed telephone lines changed everything for many people for a few days or longer.

Here are some business lessons I learned from the storm:

1. Don’t rely entirely on the cloud.

While it may be great to be able to access your files from anywhere, there has to be an ‘anywhere’ to log on or get access. With the storm, public areas that did have access, such as some libraries, McDonalds, and Starbucks, were overcrowded, making access difficult or impossible.

2. Don’t leave things to the last minute.

You never know when a storm or other disaster can strike. Managing time wisely will help to prevent projects from being delayed because of storm-related problems.

3. Be flexible.

If you can’t work on one project because you lack access, use the time to work on something else. You can always be productive, even if it’s catching up on reading by candlelight.

4. Be prepared.

Never leave your smartphone without a full charge; it may turn out to be your only means of communication for a while!

5. Keep your perspective.

Property damage, work flow delays, and other disruptions are minor inconveniences that can be remedied. Helping others who have not fared as well as you or being thankful for the help you receive is the most valuable lesson of all.