We don't know how long we might be wearing masks and social distancing. Who knows if masks will be the new normal for another 6 months or a year, or more. The news seems to predict a bad fall with both the flu and Covid variants. Will that extend into the winter and spring too? So what can you do?

I was a girl Scout Leader. And the Girl Scout motto is simple:

Be prepared!

It's nothing different than I have practiced all the time.

So how do you prepare?

It means having the supplies you need, whether it's for work or home, on hand.  It means having a backup. This is a regular practice that should last you forever!

Home

We never run out of paper goods in this house because we always buy in bulk. Tissue boxes, paper towels and toilet paper all come in bulk packages where you get from 4-12 of each. When things get low, we buy more.

When the mayonnaise or salad dressing is 1/2 to 1/3 full, it's time to get another one.

When you have a backup, you're prepared when the ketchup is gone.

Office

This applies to business people too. If you have a pen or two of your favorite pens, (I know you have way too many pens!) get rid of the ones that you don't use or want. In fact stop getting them at trade shows and hotels if you won't use them at home. Just leave them at the conference!

If you do go through pen ink fairly fast, buy an extra package. A backup will keep you prepared, especially if you care about what pen you use.  I do not like black ink, and I do not like gel pens. So I care about having a ballpoint pen with blue ink -- and it has to be a "Fine" point.  So I bought one package of 5 pens. I'm still on the first pen. When I start the fifth one, I will buy another package.

When I am down to the last package in a box of copy paper, I will get another box of copy paper. I never know how fast I will go through paper, so I always have plenty.

It's not hard.  Make a new habit!

My rule has always been:

When anything is running low, put the item on your shopping list.

• When a jar or package of food is 1/2 to 1/3 full, put it on your grocery list.
• When you have only 1 or 2 items left of disposable office supplies, put it on your shopping list.

 

 

Be prepared.