​I've been listening to a podcast about the value of getting help when you’re feeling overworked, overwhelmed, or stuck.

The show, hosted by Orna Ross and Sacha Black of The Alliance of Independent Authors, focuses on author-publishers, but their advice applies to everyone running a business.

Orna said something that really resonated with me, something that I don't think enough people realise:

​Are you taking part in National Novel Writing Month?
 
I LOVE this month!
 
I always make time to write during #NaNoWriMo, and this year is no exception.
 
I'm working on a fiction project in my free time, but #NaNoWriMo is the perfect opportunity to work on any type of writing.
 
Falling behind on your blog or email content? Set aside some time this month to focus on building a backlog of posts or ideas that you can whip up and share with your audience.
 
How about that book for your business you've always wanted to write? Use #NaNoWriMo as the perfect excuse to get started.
 
Maybe you want to try your hand at fiction or poetry? There’s never been a better time to start than right now.
 
But, if you’ve never written anything before, or you’re feeling out of practice, the dread of getting started can start to feel a lot like writer’s block. 
 
If you want to #write this month, but you're not sure where to start, here are a few tips to get you going:

​Are you feeling overwhelmed and uncertain as we enter Lockdown 2.0 in the UK?

It's a little hard to figure out if you should keep calm and carry on or join the crowds and start buying ALL the pasta. AGAIN!

Let’s not even mention the banana bread fiasco!

I don’t have all the answers, I’m not sure anyone does, and it’s easy to feel like you’re going this alone.  

But I want you to know I’m here and I’m weathering this storm with you.

And let’s face it, we’ve done this once this year already, we CAN get through it again.
​
I’ve been chatting to small business owners and authors, and here are the top takeaways I hope will help you navigate lockdown the second time around: