Moving Through COVID-19

More than 80 percent of the global workforce has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this unprecedented time, it’s likely that you or someone you know has been laid off or furloughed or has been informed of a salary deduction, which brings about the most crucial question - what will you do next?

Are you spending most of your time asking yourself questions like, “why did this happen to me?” “how do I find another job?” “how do I earn money?” “how do I pay bills?” In such a situation, instead of taking action to change the situation positively, most people find themselves stuck with these kinds of self-limiting questions. The problem with these questions is that they not only stop and slow you down, but they tend to be endless.

I am sharing some tips that gave my coaching clients and colleagues the confidence to build and execute a plan to overcome the situation. You may find it useful for yourself or someone you know. 

STEP 1 - ACCEPTANCE

Whether you like it or not, you are already in this situation. This is the new reality. Hence, the choice is yours, either you get…

(a) stuck in the process of thinking “why me” or “how do I” or  

(b) take action to change the current situation – what can you do to overcome the current state.

If you are leaning towards the first option, you may want to ask yourself, "what is the cost of me not doing anything about the situation I am in? What is the value of my current attitude?"

This kind of situation can be very stressful, if not handled well. The best way is to allow yourself to feel all the emotions that you want to feel, but for a limited period only. Then put your mind right to changing your situation.  Please remember, no one can help you, but yourself. 

STEP 2 - ANNOUNCE

“I am feeling ashamed that I got laid off, I think I wasn’t good enough,” David (name changed) told me in a hoarse low voice. Are you feeling like David? If yes, you may like to challenge your conclusion and remind yourself, “I am not defined by my current situation.” What has happened to you is not because of your limitations. In this current situation, even companies are struggling to manage their bottom-line. Your situation is a result of this current turmoil.  

Don’t measure yourself based on one event in your life that didn’t go right; instead, measure yourself based on your determination and perseverance of moving forward. Take the first bold step to let others know. When you share, the probability is that you will hear similar experiences, and you can learn from others how they are dealing with it. 

Typically, when one announces or shares, these three things happen

1)    Tends to acknowledge the new reality from within.

2)    Gets to know, “S/he is not alone.”

3)    Starts to think forward.

It works like an inner boost to take steps to change the situation positively. However, be mindful of the pitfalls. Don’t let yourself be surrounded by people who are not willing to move past the obstacles. 

STEP 3 - KNOWING YOUR STRESS FACTORS

In this unprecedented time, it is essential to manage stress factors to move forward peacefully. Identify stress points in your life and work around a solution. Managing personal finances is the common stress factor identified by most of the people. Re-evaluate your household budget and sort expenses as per relevance.

Usually, budget changes with changes in household income.  In our urban societies, we tend to splurge to maintain our so-called “lifestyle.” While it may be essential to have a lifestyle, at this time, you may like to relook at your definition of “lifestyle.” You may want to demarcate between necessary and luxury items and make a decision to forego the latter for the time being.

If you are finding this exercise overwhelming, let’s take one step at a time. To begin with, ask yourself – What’s one change I can make to my lifestyle that would give me more peace?

STEP 4 - GAIN CLARITY

Is your current career fulfilling? If money was not a concern, would you like to go back to the same job or pursue the same profession?

This time could be an opportunity for you to reflect on your professional path if it is aligned with your strengths, passion, and life goals.

You may like to pen down the answers to the following questions to gain some clarity:

• If you have lost your job, what would you like to do? Scout for a similar job or realign your career to your life goals? 
• If you have been furloughed or have a salary deduction, what options do you have so that it has a minimal impact on your daily life? For example, a coaching client of mine has built a plan to kickstart a side hustle to minimize the financial impact. Another colleague of mine is focusing on upgrading his technical skills. It varies from person to person, depending on what YOU want to do. 

After you have the clarity, write down your goal. What you want to attain to move forward. 

STEP 5 - TAKE ACTION

In the words of Dr. Steve Maraboli,” Take action! An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goal. 

Create a structured action plan to follow through. Be your own career coach, and ask yourself questions like: 

It’s advisable to formulate weekly action steps and do a review to check on the progress. 

This works best if you find an ally to support you in this process of monitoring your progress, to challenge you to stretch your thinking boundaries, to hold you accountable, listen to you without judgment, brainstorm new ideas and adjust your course of action to help you move closer to what you want. 

Most people find it beneficial to have a mentor or a career coach to play the role of an ally in these times. A career coach helps to co-create a customized plan for you to gain clarity and move forward. However, if you find that now isn’t the right time for you to financially invest in One-On-One coaching, you may explore group career coaching options. There are experienced career coaches who offer group coaching (which is not heavy on pocket), and you will still reap similar benefits. 

STEP 6 - SELF CARE and SELF LOVE

Last but not the least, in fact, the most important one, don’t be tough on yourself. Don’t stress yourself thinking about the future.  Have a plan and consistently take action to move forward. Include self-care rituals in your everyday life for your mental and physical well-being. Maintain healthy eating habits, exercise and meditate regularly, spend time with family members, connect with old friends, sleep well, look at the clear blue sky, take a walk in nature, and do things that make you happy. 

In this unprecedented time, it’s essential to show up for yourself. Show up for yourself every single time, even if you stumble at the beginning. I know it’s easier said than done, but I am confident that if you put your mind and soul to change your situation positively, YOU will be unstoppable. Remember, you are brave, strong, and confident. You are enough!

Best Wishes,

Jayita

PS: Do not hesitate to contact me if you need support in overcoming such a situation.