Managing Through Uncertain Times  

The SME spoke with Ruzindana Gerald, a nutritionist from Amazon Nutrition Cabinet, a business supporting people with healthy nutritional practices to promote physical and mental wellness. Gerald shared some of the common challenges entrepreneurs have faced in recent months due to the pandemic and tips entrepreneurs can use to mitigate those challenges. These include:   

  • Disruption to normal routines for example lesser operating hours due to curfew. This may make it hard to meet deadlines, find time to efficiently and productively serve your clients or even take breaks for re-energizing.   
  • Rising anxiety and stress from situations you cannot control. For example, irrespective of the current situation, you still have to deal with expenses such as rent, salaries, and taxes.  
  • Lack of concentration or a sense of not knowing what to focus on next due to lesser interactions with clients and suppliers.  
  • Negative effects on our health or state of mind such as  
    • Loss or increase of appetite and craving 
    • Changes in our mood due to loneliness at the workplace or working remotely 
    • Inability to sleep arising from stress and anxiety  
    • Decrease in physical activity due to periodic lockdowns 

To mitigate these challenges, Gerald suggested tips that would help entrepreneurs make better decisions, lead employees and make changes to survive the pandemic and ongoing lockdown. They include:  

  • Try to rise at the same time each day and organize your day including time for work, meals, light exercise, and family obligations. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night.  
  • Carve out time for exercise – even 20 minutes of light stretching, a short walk, or even dancing at home can help clear your mind.  
  • Make sure you make time for meals and try to eat healthy foods when you can. Some examples of healthy foods are vegetables and fruits. These can help boost your immunity, giving you more energy to run your business.  
  • Reach out to your networks. Send messages, make calls, or video chat when you can with your friends and family. Checking in with your clients, employees, and suppliers to see how they are doing will also go a long way! Share your own thoughts and experiences so that they feel connected, too.  

These are just a few tips – different things work for different people, so try things out and see what works for you.  

 

For more information contact: Tel: +250 784 465 520

Email: ruzindanagerald@gmail.com