Crisis Management

This weekend, I learned a valuable lesson about having a home business. Not only will it give you a tremendous rush in the moments you achieve success, but it will also give you massive ulcers during the times when things just don't work out.

This weekend was one of those times. I'm not sure if it was the particular alignment of the stars or a weird curse, but nothing went right this weekend.

It began with my computer. For some reason, my computer came down with a sever case of constipation. It was locking up approximately every 3.2 seconds for several hours, until the lock up became permanent. I would insert a hockey joke here, but hockey fans are a little crazy, so there is no telling what they might try and do to me.

I decided that I would begrudgingly have to use my husband's laptop until I could get my computer fixed. The problem with this solution was the fact that he worked until 8pm all weekend long and the laptop was with him. This was on top of the fact that my car had recently broken down and I was stranded at home.

While this situation was inherently frustrating, it was made even more so because I had papers to get out to clients that I couldn't get out. When you are a mom who has to take care of the kids, how do you get around an issue like this without either making your kids or clients unhappy? By having a Crisis Management Plan. Do I have one? Of course not, because if I did, none of my weekend issues would matter. However, I have determined that I will have one by the end of the week.

The most difficult part of the plan will be how to deal with clients. For example, how do you ensure client satisfaction when your kid is really sick? Do you turn off the "MOM" sensor in you that wants to nurture your kid until they are better and leave them on the couch while you do work? Or do you side with your child at the expense of making a client mad?

This is the dilemma of being a work at home mom. On one hand you are stressed about your family, wondering if you are doing enough for them and on the other hand, you have the desire to succeed and the desire to build up your business, because you want to prove that you can do it.

The lesson of the day? Create a backup plan. You never know when you will need it, and when you need it and don't have it I guarantee you will want it.