We are at the beginning of the last quarter of 2020, a year that I’m sure everyone agrees has posed some of our toughest challenges ever. I hate that these past several months have been so awful, but you know what? I still know where I want to go with my life and my business so I am also trying to find a detour around my obstacles.
It’s Not Corny, It Is Coping
For problem-solver types like me, not being able to fix something can be annoying. We may spend time trying to see if we can fix at least part of it, or we may indulge in some regret about not being able to prevent any of it. At the end of the day, though, if it is in the past—we may as well try to change the outcome of the Peloponnesian War (431-405 B.C.E.) As I’ve gotten older and wiser, I work hard to take the energy I used to spend on fretting and put it into evaluating and planning. It is a coping mechanism that keeps me moving forward.
It Is Not About Wall Street; It Is About Main Street
Things we know for sure: Covid is not yet contained or cured. Wildfires continue to decimate thousands of acres in the American West. Climate scientists are running out of names for hurricanes and typhoons this season. Schools, restaurants, theaters, sports stadiums, and too many other types of businesses remain closed as epidemiologists try to learn how to stop the spread of a deadly virus. So, I focus on what I can do to avoid the paralysis of contemplating the big picture. I evaluate where things are with my business and plan what to do next to best serve my clients. Me staying as sane as possible is probably the best thing I can do for my family as well.
What Is Going To Change After The Election?
Seriously—what will be different on November 4? Political leaders come and go in all countries, but countries continue to exist, right? It wasn’t that long ago that Great Britain voted to leave the European Union. Both sides of that issue predicted both dire and glorious outcomes after the vote. Four years later and there has been no Brexit, but negotiations continue. Four years later. So again, I go into work, focus on what I can do, and how best to serve my clients.
I, like other people, can get caught up in the drama-du-jour when it comes to national politics or global economics, but ultimately I am the owner of a small but effective IT management and support company with lots of fish to fry—locally. Cybersecurity threats have intensified and our priorities at Aptica continue to be the efficiency of use of computers and networks, and the defense of our clients’ data. It is a simple directive for a very complex task. I’m grateful to know where I can be the most useful.
If you have concerns about what to do next with your IT as this year struggles to a close, give us a call at Aptica. We are big into local solutions.
Jason Newburg, 260.243.5100, ext 2101, is the founder and owner of Aptica LLC. This IT management and support company has been serving small to medium-sized businesses for 19 years in the region that includes Angola, South Bend, and Fort Wayne, IN, Battle Creek, MI, and Toledo OH.