More and more people are having to stay at home – be you self quarantined, instructed by large offices to cut down on numbers at the office, or just because your government has ordered you not to go in to work. Yes, the Corona virus is bad news for industries like tourism and travel. But do small businesses have to suffer as well?

Let us be clear. In most of the near 200 countries around the world, SMEs – small and medium enterprises – make up 95% of any given economy!

Business mentors and coaches teach that you to use to the resources that we are provided with. They may seem meagre or even irrelevant, but this is what the Escape Rooms teach us, if we are just prepared to think differently.

One very simple example. I was discussing with a client about a tour guide. His clientele has simply been sucked into the ground like a biblical curse. His solution? He is creating virtual tours, and selling packages on line.

And there are plenty more examples. Another client of mine in Jerusalem, who runs after school art classes for kids, has totally switched around their schedule to the mornings. And I heard today of an unemployed air stewardess, who is turning her talents to baby sitting, which is suddenly in much demand.

So how to get started? How can you switch your whole operation so that it is home based and when you cannot dash out to the marketplace.

First and foremost, realise that even though you may seem that you have endless time on your hands, you do not! Countries like China and Hong Kong have shown that the crisis does have an end. More importantly, neither your competitors nor your bank manager are waiting around for you, sympathetically. So, get a work in plan in place, immediately.

Second, remember that Corona is all about health. And you need to stay healthy at home, which should include sleeping 7-8 hours every night. Build an exercise plan. Why? Because, exercise and quality sleep lead to creative cognitive thinking. That will serve as your base for your brain storming.

Third, as if you have not got the message by now, digital media is there to help you. So many people say that they are going to build a website, but claim they never have the time. Hands up those who have wanted for ages to earn more about LinkedIn or Instagram but have prioritised everything else.

Those excuses hold no water any more. And this is especially true as these are the tools and weapons that are going to ensure you keep in touch with your marketplace and / or create a new one.

I firmly believe that for many of us, Corona can end up presenting more opportunities than we initially contemplated. It is time to think out of the box. (To do that, it helps if you know the origins of that phrase.)

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy ride over the next few weeks.