When Plan A Fails: Keep Calm, and Activate Plan B
Back-up plan: three small words with such a huge impact. This year has been a trying one, to say the very least. Even just a cursory stroll through the digital landscape of our time, on social media and the news, will clue you in on just how challenging this year has been for people across the globe. Beyond the medical front, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on economic, social, and political levels—and the fallout is evident in almost every aspect of daily life. And, many of us were caught, unawares, without a back-up plan to speak of. As such, we have been left scrambling because our “Plan A” has fallen through the cracks of a calamity not of our own making. Sure, our resiliency pays off—but a back-up plan helps us thrive, not just survive.
When it’s time to switch to Plan B
As wealth coach and entrepreneur turned radio, TV, and social media personality, Chinkee Tan puts it, “In life you need to have a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C; you cannot only have a Plan A. Life’s philosophy is to always expect the best…but always prepare for the worst,” he shares.
Vlogger and YouTube personality Haidee Quing, “Mommy Haidee” on social media, couldn’t agree more: “We don’t know what happens next…with anything, with our plans and our daily living…it’s definitely a must: there should be an alternative or a backup plan.”
This is why both Tan and Quing have mapped out options for the things they consider important in their lives and to their livelihoods—including a plan from SKY Fiber AlterNet, a back-up broadband connection for non-Sky subscribers. With the first back-up postpaid broadband plan in the Philippines, subscribers have the assurance of staying connected, even if there is an interruption with their main internet service provider. And, at only P199 a month, subscribers enjoy unlimited connection with a base speed of 1.5Mbps, a high-speed modem, and the option to top up and upgrade their speed up to100Mbps. Not a bad deal at all, considering the gains of uninterrupted business, online.
Always at the ready
Pandemic notwithstanding, there are other calamities and situations we need to be prepared for—life can throw you a curveball at any time, after all. Plus, we live in one of the world’s natural disaster-prone zones, where typhoons and earthquakes are to be expected. Maybe you weren’t able to prepare for the recent turn of events; but, it isn’t too late to pick up the pieces and do so, now.
Here are six things that you should always have at the ready:
- Nonperishable food and potable water stocks
This is one of the most basic things to prepare for, whether you live alone or have a family. In the event of a disaster or calamity, you’ll never know if you’ll be able to leave the house for a grocery or market run. Think about flooded streets, chaos, a viral outbreak, and the like. And, even if you could leave your house, do you really want to get caught in the middle of throngs of panicked shoppers? It should still be fresh in our memories, the early lockdown days, during which a simple trip to the grocery was anything but simple: hours in line just to get in, panic and confusion while grabbing whatever you could from almost-empty shelves, and then hours in line again at the checkout counters. Experts suggest that you store at least three days’ worth of non-perishable, ready-to-eat food and potable water, ideally, one gallon per person, per day. Choose food items that are high in protein, such as canned meats and fish, UHT pasteurized milk, peanut butter, and dried fruit, among others. When making your selection, keep in mind food items that your family will like; consider dietary needs and restrictions, especially if you have infants, elderly, or sick family members. Don’t forget food and water for your pets; Blackie and Brownie are part of the family, too!
- Emergency or contingency funds
Yes, it is often easier said than done, given how difficult it can be to manage our finances. But, it is vital to have a “rainy day fund” set aside. Many people have found themselves out of a job or have had to close their businesses, in light of the pandemic—and they’ve learned the hard way about having savings to tide you over. “Expect the best; that good things will happen, expect that your sales will go up…that your business will be ok…that your career will be ok; but what if—we always have a ‘what if?’ You must have at least three-six months of operational expense set up, just in case there’s no sale, you can continue to fight and survive within six months,” Tan advises business owners. But the same advice rings true for employees. It is prudent to have three-six months’ worth of your salary set aside in savings, to help you stay afloat until you find a new source of income. Put a little money aside with every pay check or sale, and slowly build your emergency fund.
- Data and important documents
Personal documents such as insurance information, bank papers and papers of ownership, titles and deeds, passports and other pertinent identification, and work-related files are definitely on the list of things you should back-up. You must have soft and hard copies of all your important files. Look into storing these on the cloud, as well. Make sure, of course, that everything is password protected. It is wise to have your documents backed-up, in the event that they are destroyed or misplaced in an emergency situation. You will spare yourself the hassle of dealing with the red tape, legal issues, bureaucracy, time, and costs that are typically involved with replacing important documents and work files. “For us, whenever we…create travel videos, we do have itineraries, but sometimes you don’t know what happens next…there could be mishaps and delays. You should be flexible enough to adjust your tasks and work. We also make back-ups when we film our videos. We film back-up scenes, so that we don’t have to reshoot,” Quing says, about the importance of backing-up work files.
- Emergency supplies and contacts
Every “prepper” has long shouted from the rooftops the necessity of having an emergency kit, go-bag, or “bug-out bag” ready, at all times. A typical emergency kit or go-bag should include basic medicines, as well as any specific ones you and your family might need, batteries, flashlight, first-aid kit, a stash of food and water, battery-operated radio, face masks, whistle to alert for help, fully-charged cellphone and power bank, money, essential tools (like a can opener, scissors, tape, and the like), among several other things. Also, write out a list of emergency contacts and numbers that you may need, should the untoward happen. Keep the kit or bag, as well as the list, handy and accessible. Remember to restock or refresh the contents regularly.
- Outlet-free chargers and cords
Power banks, portable chargers, and battery backups can keep us in touch with family and friends during a power interruption—and we all know that in the Philippines, power disruptions are usually unavoidable in inclement weather and other calamities. Having back-up power sources also enables us to continue working on tasks at home, so that we don’t lose opportunities for income. “I recall when we had a brownout during (Typhoon) Ulysses, one day without electricity and without internet…it was really difficult because a lot of work could not be done. A lot of communication could not be done also. So, if possible, get a back-up plan,” Tan notes.
- Internet Connection
This crucial alterative measure is where Sky Fiber AlterNet Plan comes into the picture, something which Quing describes as a “lifesaver” that has come in “perfect timing.” The pandemic has underscored the importance of staying connected during a crisis. Communicating with loved ones, being updated on news, working from home, online homeschooling, banking, and even purchasing your essentials—most everything is online these days. Moreover, having a back-up internet service is your ticket to a hassle-free work setup, assuring that you don’t miss a beat, or a single opportunity. “You cannot look at a back-up as an expense; you have to look at it from the perspective of investment and returns. How much sales will you lose, in one day without the internet? I do webinars every single day, I have podcasts, online courses, and book sales—if I don’t have the internet, I will lose all these,” Tan points out. “Our work revolves around the internet; we upload videos, have brand meetings…so it’s really very, very important that we have a backup internet plan. When your main provider cannot serve its purpose, then you have this back-up plan for emergency purposes,” Quing adds.
A back-up plan for peace of mind
“What you are buying when you buy a back-up plan is peace of mind that everything will run, just in case,” Tan says. And nowadays, we could all use as much peace of mind as we can get.
Yes, 2020 has been one daunting year. But, out of all the challenges, there are more than a few valuable life lessons that have emerged: the importance of living a more thoughtful and centered life, the value of family and community, the importance of physical health and wellbeing, the urgency of taking care of the planet, the necessity of guarding our mental health, the value of being grounded in our decisions, among many other things— and the oh-so-essential back-up plan. Because sometimes, resiliency alone isn’t enough.
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