It’s been nine long months of painfully enduring the Covid-19 pandemic. You’re still concerned about catching or spreading the disease. For many people, the dire economic, job-related and mental health consequences far exceed the virus itself. Studies have shown a rapid increase in substance abuse, feelings of depression and suicides are on the rise.
The situation you’re stuck in
Many people are panicked over how they are going to afford their rent, mortgages, tuition payments and continue the lifestyle they’ve grown accustomed to. Divorces are becoming more common, as the financial stress, coupled with being cooped up at home for months without any end in sight, has pushed people to their breaking points. It doesn’t help that we’re fed a steady diet of hate, anger and divisiveness from the media on a daily basis—turning Americans against each other.
Your life and career are closely intertwined. It’s necessary to focus on them both together. For instance, if you’re not doing well professionally, it’ll spill over into your personal life. It works the other way as well. If you are experiencing unrelenting pressure and are at a loss for what to do next, here are some suggestions to help you maintain your sanity, remain calm, cool and collected and start turning things around for the better.
Take a time out
Block out the steady stream of negativity that’s constantly racing through your mind. You need and deserve a break from all the problems that are out of your control. Focus instead on things that bring you joy. It could be a hobby, working out, going for a run, painting or any activity that diverts you from ruminating about your current situation.
Practice living in the current moment. Consciously halt your monkey brain from screeching about all of your shortcomings and past failures. Appreciate all of the beauty that life has to offer. Detour from your usual daily routine. Go away on a long weekend to experience a change of scenery and recharge your soul. Your mind needs time to dissociate with pressure and the monotony of everyday life. New surroundings, some clean fresh air and interacting with people outside of your small circle will afford you the chance to decompress and reboot your thinking.
If you’re stuck in a rut, it’s likely that you’ll engage in excessive drinking, eating, risk-taking and drugs as an escape mechanism. These decisions serve to worsen your situation. Do the opposite instead. Pay close attention to your physical, mental and emotional health. Read more, watch less banal television, seek out intelligent and life-affirming podcasts, books, videos and sign up for online courses.
Help others who are more needy than you
No matter how bad things seem, there is always someone who has it worse. Help out people in need. Go to a food kitchen for the homeless, volunteer at a hospital for children with cancer, check in on an elderly neighbor or mentor young people starting out in their careers. The compassionate acts will make you feel spiritually better about yourself. It also puts things into perspective, as your problems won’t seem so bad.
Forgive yourself, then move on
You’ve probably kept close track of everything that’s been going wrong in your career and life. You’re kicking yourself for making poor decisions. You blame everyone around you for the circumstances you find yourself in now, hating your former boss for laying you off and despising your co-workers for not standing up for you. You’re aggravated that you’re paying for costly college tuitions, midlife-crisis sports cars and a mortgage that you told your spouse was way too high. Without a job, these outflows of money feel like an anchor dragging you down. If you find yourself in this bind, start cutting back on your expenditures.
Change the way you view events. Rather than looking at everything that went awry, see all of the good things in your life and at work. Focus on your success—no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Savor all of the tiny joys that you’ve overlooked in the past. Stop blaming others and take responsibility. Grant yourself the gift of forgiving yourself of past mistakes and indiscretions. Wipe the slate clean, so you can start with a fresh start.
Rebuild or reinvent yourself
Reevaluate your life and career. Be honest with yourself and everyone around you about your feelings. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, advice or guidance. Put your ego and pride aside.
It may be a hard decision, but you may want to pivot and consider doing something completely new and different. Map out what will make you happy and start working toward reaching those goals. Promise yourself that you will make every effort to improve your job, career and life.
Set your sights on what you want to accomplish. Establish a timeline to do it. Relentlessly pursue your dreams. There will be dark days when you only want to hide under the covers. Stay strong and force yourself to get up, get out of the house and pursue your goals. Hold yourself accountable, so it doesn’t end up just another unfulfilled desire.
When you decide that your life or career needs changing, have faith in yourself and go for it. There will be bumps in the road, but don’t give up. Success might not happen right away. It could take weeks, months or years. However, you will get to a place where you’re happy and leading a meaningful, purpose-driven successful life and career.
Source: Forbes
