A COMMON recommendation among newspapers and magazine columnists during the summer holiday season is to create packing lists. Publications roll out the same tried and tested checklists which, each year, are slightly updated to cater for our increasing reliance on electronics and gadgetry with Kindles replacing books and magazines and phones doubling as our cameras.
Our own top tips would have to include:-
* Emailing copies of passports, visas, EHIC and driving licence to yourself so that you have back-ups if required is a sensible disaster recovery plan. As is having a disaster recovery plan for your business. Truth be told, the disaster recovery plan for the author’s business was on the floor of his ground floor office when, over Easter 1998, the River Nene joined us for the weekend – having more than one copy was a sensible contingency plan too and proved a godsend when watery disaster struck.
* Having phones, chargers, plug converters and laptop/pad equivalents with you on holiday is essential to enable communications to continue if and when required (bearing in mind that you are supposed to be on holiday). A business that loses its ability to communicate, whether via telephone or, increasingly, via the internet, is likely to suffer greatly if the interruption is lengthy. Knowing that you have a Plan B in the event of a communications problem at work is going to ease troubled minds
* Packing medication and toiletries is easier at home than it might be abroad where some things might not be available or would require a prescription. Keeping your business in peak performance requires regular health checks and when things do stray from the chosen business path you need to take remedial action to correct things before they go too far.
* Wallet, money, credit and debit cards – don’t leave it to the airport to change money and remember to let your credit and debit card providers know where you are off to. The main thrust of so many BRI articles over the years has been to emphasise that cash really is king. A fancy credit card in your wallet that won’t work abroad will not help you much – a great business idea that hasn’t the working capital to support it will fail.
As the holiday season gets into full swing we hope all readers have an enjoyable and relaxing break without having to suffer too much of the stress that can go with it. If you do nothing else there is always Baz Luhrmann’s sage advice – Everyone’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).
If you find yourself getting a little too hot under the collar as regards your business or personal finances, don’t let yourself get burned, contact us for free, confidential conversation at BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in St. James on 01604 754352 and we will do our best to soothe your troubles away.
