Alice Bredin
Over the past few months, computer viruses with the power to wipe out data have been in the news. First the Melissa virus struck in late March and then the Chernobyl virus hit on April 26. And last week, the “Worm.Explore.Zip” virus struck tens of thousands of computers in more than a dozen countries.
I know a home-based worker whose computer was destroyed by the Chernobyl virus. She lost everything. The most devastating part was the destruction of her business contacts’ phone numbers and addresses a loss that will take substantial time to regain.
I understand her anxiety. A similar thing happened to me when I wrote my first book. I lost three months worth of work when my laptop died. Fortunately, my situation had a happier ending because I had backed up my data a week before the breakdown.
Backing up data is easy, but many home-based workers don’t know how to do it, don’t understand the threat of losing data, or don’t have time to undertake the backup. But knowing about the easy backup options available could ease some home-based workers’ reluctance to back up.
If you currently do not back up business information, now is the time to adopt a new habit. Here are some tips to help reduce your risk:
? Get on a regular schedule. Start a data backup pattern. This will help you do it regularly and correctly. I recommend backing up information a minimum of once a week, but more often can be just as easy. For instance, I run an automatic backup once per day.
? Pick a method that meets your needs. The backup method should cause minimal disruption to your schedule. It should also be affordable and capable of handling the volume of work your business produces.
For light information loads, you can use an inexpensive method such as backing up onto diskettes. If you rely on large files or databases, you might want to add a peripheral storage drive to your system such as a Zip drive.
? Consider an off-site method. Today, some businesses are turning to Internet-based backup systems. These services allow you to send files to a Web site for safekeeping. If your hard disk crashes, you can download backed-up information from the site.
Some services will let you create a set schedule for backups and then run them automatically at night so the process doesn’t interrupt productivity.
? Keep a long-term copy. Even though I back up data daily, I also create a backup copy that I keep for 30 days. This is a little extra security against viruses. If something spreads throughout my system without my knowledge, I can replace information with clean copies.
? Store copies off-site. Keep a copy of your data outside of your home. Having an off-site copy will protect it from theft, flood, fire and other disasters. You could swap with another home-based worker, or ask a neighbor to safeguard your work.
A word of caution: Choose someone you trust. In some cases, giving others a copy of your data is like giving them a key to your business. If you cannot find a secure off-site place, you can rent a safety deposit box for backup tapes and diskettes.
? Choose a backup system that suits your business lifestyle. For example, if you travel frequently for business, you might want to use a service that allows data access from the road.
Breaking barriers
I know a woman who decided to learn HTML to keep her home-based, desktop publishing business afloat. More and more of her clients were requesting Web-based work, and she didn’t know how to meet their needs.
I watched her struggle with the HTML training process and noticed that she was making it harder than it really was. Eventually, it became clear that her belief that she was not technically savvy was holding her back.
I often run into home-based business owners who suffer from similar problems. They reach plateaus in work life because they don’t believe they can accomplish the tasks necessary to move forward. Usually, it is not a real barrier that holds a person back, but a psychological one.
Common insecurities I hear about from people who run home businesses include: I can’t sell, I’m not a good public speaker, I am not technically oriented and I can’t “schmooze.”
Most of these worries can be reduced to common anxieties such as fear of rejection, fear of being laughed at or fear of the unfamiliar. But working at home demands expanding our breadth of skills so that we can wear many hats.
This doesn’t mean that you should master everything and avoid relying on experts or staff to complement your skills. It does mean you should hone skills in critical areas, rather than allowing a lack of confidence to hold you back.
The following steps can help you champion real or imagined barriers that are keeping your skills or business from moving forward.
? Move. When fear or doubt hits, take action. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Even if the action isn’t the right one, it moves you away from a state of immobility.
Also, action changes the circumstances and, therefore, presents an opportunity to attack from a new position. This new perspective may help you find a different approach toward something that makes you ill at ease.
? Prepare for the worst. Mentally design the worst possible outcomes that might result from attempting the thing you dread. Chances are you will be left with a better scenario. Knowing that you’ll be able to control the situation no matter what the outcome will reduce the fear factor.
? Read books about successful people. One of the benefits of reading biographies and autobiographies about successful people is learning about their fears and how they overcame them. The benefit: You learn that fears do not have to squash success.
? Speak positively. Tell someone who is a good listener and who isn’t a naysayer why you will succeed at overcoming your fears or weaknesses. Speaking about your resolve aloud will strengthen it.
? Mark your course. When you’re in the middle of climbing a mountain, it’s hard to determine how far you are from the top or the bottom. Keep track of your progress toward overcoming fears.
When you’re tempted to tell yourself you can’t do something, review your trail until you see that you can.
? Reduce risk. Contrary to what most people think, successful business people aren’t risk takers. They’re bet hedgers. They risk new trails, but not without the right supplies.
Reduce the risk of trying the unknown or the unpleasant by setting up a scenario for success. For instance, if you fear public speaking, practice with friends or with an organization devoted to developing these skills.
Alice Bredin is author of the “Virtual Office Survival Handbook” (John Wiley & Sons) and a nationally syndicated columnist.
