Tips for Thriving in Your Career During the Pandemic

The Covid-19 virus has caused a global economic crisis, and the US hasn’t come out the other side just yet. You may be worried about the possibility of losing your job, as has happened to millions of Americans since March. But there are steps you can take to avoid this fate. Here are some tips for thriving in your career, even during Covid-19. 

Be Resilient

In difficult times, the people who can adapt to their situation will be victorious. If you fall into despair every time something negative happens, it will probably affect your work performance. Covid-19 is a prime example of one of these challenges.

Being resilient means having the ability to overcome problematic situations without letting it significantly impact your mental health. It also means being able to make the most out of anything that happens. A resilient employee will see the opportunities present in any situation, even a pandemic, instead of focusing on the things they cannot control. 

Resilience and adaptability go hand in hand when it comes to overcoming hardship. According to Linkedin, adaptability is already set to be a highly sought after skill this year. But this became even more true than we could have imagined. 

Find What Keeps you Productive

Another tip is to find what keeps you productive. Maybe you are working from home this year for the first time ever, or you already went back to the office but are out of sorts with all the changes. Try to find a routine that keeps you motivated. 

For example, if you are at home, maybe you will need complete silence to concentrate, or maybe you need white noise to focus. If you already went back to the office, but you had become accustomed to staying at home with no distractions, then find a new strategy. 

For example, if you’re a full-stack developer and the noise of your office bothers you, try listening to classical music while you work. And remember that regular breaks are part of keeping your productivity levels up. If you don’t take breaks, your brain will tire more easily. 

Have Empathy

If you feel frustrated, depressed, anxious, or stressed, remember that you are not alone. Your co-workers are all probably feeling the same. You also don’t know what each person is going through. A co-worker may have even lost a loved one due to Covid-19, so it is important to have empathy. Put yourself in the place of others so you can better understand them and act accordingly. It will help you build better relationships at work and in life. 

Offer To Help When You Can

This is not the time to have an attitude of “I only do my job and don’t care about anything else.” Many companies are struggling to stay afloat, and if you still have a job, you are one of the lucky ones. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs because of Covid-19. So, you should instead, you should adopt an attitude of “I’ll help anytime I can.”

If you offer help to your manager or coworkers every time you finish your tasks early, you are helping to keep the company operating.

Changing your mindset to help others at work will also help your reputation as an invaluable part of the office. You will get the chance to sharpen your problem-solving skills by helping in different areas. Always remember to set limits and take care of your responsibilities first. 

Continue Learning

To thrive in your career, you should always continue learning, even after years in the same position. Someone that can learn new skills and new software will be more productive at work. So, continue updating your skills throughout your career. Maybe learning something you’ve always been interested in and could even gain you a promotion.

If you are in the tech industry, maybe you could learn a new coding language to complement your skills. You can even learn to code for free with online courses. 

Another plus of continuous learning is that your skills will always stay updated in case you need to look for a new job. Either way, people who don’t learn aren’t truly living. It is a part of growing old that no one can avoid. Try to apply this theory to your professional career as well. 

Take Time to Improve Your Mental Health

At last, while this pandemic is still wreaking havoc in our society, you have to remember to take care of your mental health. Poor mental health will lead to other negative side effects in your mood, body, and overall outlook on life. It could also cause problems with your sleeping patterns and concentration.

You can avoid these issues just by just taking some time for yourself. It might just be a few minutes every day to meditate or do yoga.

In Summary

There are actions you can take to make sure you are thriving in your career, despite the pandemic. First, try to be resilient and adaptable. Also, be empathetic to your coworkers and remember to continue learning, take time for your mental health, and find a strategy that keeps you productive.

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of The Political Anthropologist.