When things go wrong at work, your first thought is going to be how you can protect your job.
After all, without your career, the rest of your life can very quickly succumb to various pressures, not the least of which is financial.
On top of that, the COVID-19 uncertainty that’s permeating our environments may even have you doubting whether your passion for your career is still alive and kicking.
The problem is that sometimes, even when you’re doing your best in a job you love, your workplace might suffer a major upheaval. Companies go bankrupt, the economy shifts. A natural disaster or pandemic might even take away your ability to do your job at all. What then?
You start with keeping your head and following these tips:
Bring up the energy in the room
Optimists wanted!
When things are going wrong and it affects your work life, don’t be that person sitting around and complaining.
Instead, by staying positive and looking for the best outcomes, you’re already ahead of the curve.
Lend a hand
There’s a lot to be said for people with enough gumption to take the initiative and offer to help out when they see an opportunity to do so.
This kind of willingness to jump in will be remembered when things straighten out again.
Show creativity
Outside-the-box solutions are always welcome, especially during an upheaval.
These are the times when doing what’s always worked before not only has stopped working but might even be making things worse.
Being able to adapt to new ideas and find solutions that fit the crisis is invaluable at times like this.
Adapt
Upheaval calls for the ability to let go of the old ways and adapt to the new status quo.
You can’t be floundering right now. This is the time to rise to the challenges being presented in this new world.
Show empathy
Change is hard. A crisis makes everything much harder.
Now is the perfect time to reach out to your co-workers. How can you help them to adapt?
Hang in there
Finally, the most important thing is to stay the course. If you can persevere even under these conditions, such dedication won’t go unnoticed.
For this reason more than anything else, you need to dig your heels in and flat out refuse to quit doing what you know is right, no matter what happens next.
Remember, upheaval happens but it doesn’t have to derail your career completely. Being smart and savvy is what’s going to keep you going even when the going gets tough.
Hang in there and you’ll be just fine.
Troy Media columnist Faith Wood is a novelist and professional speaker who focuses on helping groups and individuals navigate conflict, shift perceptions and improve communications.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of our publication.
