Sklar Technology Partners - January 2021

JANUARY 2021

7462 Old Hickory Drive, Mechanicsville, VA 23111

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www.sklartechnology.com

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804-730-2628

WILL YOU CHOOSE POSITIVITY THIS YEAR? 3 Tips for Recapturing Your Optimism

I use this trick whenever I need a pick-me-up. To test it out, choose an upbeat word like “excellent” or “wonderful” and shout it in your mind. Really accentuate the syllables and give it all you’ve got. You’ll be amazed by how good this makes you feel! It’s a real dopamine rush. You can even try the technique while you’re driving. Turn the radio up and scream your positive word out loud. You might look a little bit silly, but no one will be laughing when you crush your goals as a result.

raining or snowing, I head outdoors each afternoon. The best way to squeeze this walk into my schedule is to take it on my lunch break, and that strategy might work for you, too. If you get 45 minutes or an hour to eat, skip some of the time spent scrolling your phone during lunch and go for a lunchtime walk instead. I’ve made this a habit, and I’m always happier after soaking up some sunshine.

I’m relieved that 2020 is behind us. It wasn’t an easy year for me. To be completely honest, on three occasions in particular, I felt really down, almost depressed. The worst was when my chronic back pain acted up this summer. I lost the ability to run or even walk, and when I was in that state, everything seemed bleak. Luckily, I was able to pick myself up and get back on my feet — literally and figuratively! Over the years, I’ve learned that when you’re feeling down (whether it’s due to an injury, a pandemic, or the hassle of using Zoom), you can’t fast-track your way out of negativity. But by putting in the work, you can undo your mental state and start fresh. This applies to each of us, both personally and in business. IT’S TIME FOR A REBOOT. “Carpe diem” is overrated — at this point, I think we should “carpe annum” and seize the entire year of 2021. If you want to come along for the ride, you have to create a positive mindset that you can turn into productive action. That’s the only way to achieve your full potential. I’m still working on this myself. For the last few months, I’ve been actively looking for solutions and practicing positive habits. So far, I’ve found a few that work well for me. GET A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. Studies show that spending time outside can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Now that I can walk again, I’ve noticed that going for a 20-minute walk or run every day helps boost my mood. Unless it’s

LEARN HAPPINESS FROM THE EXPERT.

Part of succeeding in business is admitting you don’t know everything. I’m not a happiness expert, so to really get a handle on my feelings, I turn to people who are. One of my favorite mentors to seek advice from is Shawn Achor, the author of “The Happiness Advantage” and “Big Potential.” Achor has been called “one of the world’s leading experts on human potential,” and he shares all kinds of strategies in his books for finding happiness and achieving success. To learn more about him and put his theories to work, check out ShawnAchor.com. These techniques have pulled me out of some dark places, even with a pandemic raging outside. This year is already off to a good start with the vaccine rollouts across the country. Now it’s up to us to keep that momentum going! Let me know if these tips work for you, and if you have your own strategies for staying optimistic, feel free to send them my way.

TALK YOUR WAY TO A BETTER MOOD. When a movie is supposed to be inspiring and uplifting, there’s always a scene where the main characters give themselves a pep talk in the mirror. Why? Because it works! There’s actually science behind the idea that energizing words and “positive self-talk” can shape our moods. Saying something positive out loud will break you out of the cycle of negative thinking and reboot your mindset. Even repeating a positive word in your head can have a profound effect on your mood.

–Randy Sklar Security. Availability. Support. .................................................................................... 804-730-2628 • 1 A REFERRAL IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF FLATTERY. WHEN A CLIENT REFERS FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES TO US, IT REPRESENTS AN APPRECIATION OF A JOB WELL DONE. IF YOUR FRIENDS OR ASSOCIATES COULD BENEFIT FROM OUR SERVICES, I’D BE HONORED TO HAVE YOUR REFERRAL!

2020 could have been nicknamed “The Year of Layoffs.” Companies had to let millions of workers go during the lockdown, and it was tough on everyone involved. Now, though, businesses are starting to recover and fill those vacant spots — but are they doing it the smart way? If you’ve recently put up a “We’re Hiring!” sign, you need to have a process in place to onboard and keep your new employees. Here’s how to make it happen. 1. Prepare Their Workspace Most of the time when a new hire shows up, they’re greeted by an empty desk. Then, they waste time setting up their computer and phone, creating a company email account, and finding a stapler in the supply closet. To avoid this, create a checklist of things you need to do before a new employee’s first day. If you prepare their physical and online workspace, they’ll be able to hit the ground running. 2. Create a Training Program Here at Sklar, we have an extensive video training program for new hires. Is it the most exciting thing in the world? Maybe not, but it’s full of useful information. Try creating something similar to get your new hires up to speed. It can be a video training, a handbook, or a series of meetings. The format is up to you. 3. Make Them Feel Welcome Why is it that we have going-away parties for employees who leave, but don’t celebrate new hires the same way? It makes no sense! Hiring someone new is exciting, so hype up your team and make them feel welcome with a care package or office party. Bonus points if you give them a great title and have their business cards ready. 4. Show Their Family You Care To get an employee to stick around, you need to win over their spouse or family members. That way, if they have a bad day at work and go home to complain, they’re venting to someone supportive of the company. The best way to do this is just to show that you care. Here at Sklar, our employees get five weeks of personal time every year, and during the pandemic, Randy bought their families dinner on Fridays. As the saying goes, “People join companies, but they leave managers.” Don’t make them want to leave you! THE RIGHT WAY TO HIRE (AND KEEP!) A NEW EMPLOYEE

You Can Still Plan Around Unpredictability Business Budgeting for 2021

This is the time of year when businesses would usually be looking at their budget and planning for the coming year. But COVID-19 has made the future entirely unpredictable, which makes properly planning your budget difficult. But all is not lost — there are some basic budgeting tactics you can implement to face 2021 with confidence. Create a Forecast If you’re not entirely confident in your ability to forecast sales for 2021, you’re not alone. But you do still have options. If 2020 went great, perhaps try setting your sights up 10% from last year. If you want to play it safe, keep your forecast on par with 2020. If even that doesn’t feel reliable, then jump back to 2019 and use it as a base for creating your budget. You can ramp up 10% or 20% from there. Don’t just forecast this year blindly — use >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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