4 Ways to Stay Positive with Your Career Goals During Uncertain Times
How’s your mental outlook regarding your career goals right now? Do you feel confident about them? Or, are you wondering how you’ll ever achieve your career goals at this point? We’re currently living in uncertain times, due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. As a result, many organizations have experienced furloughs and layoffs, while the number of remote employees has drastically increased worldwide. It’s very easy to develop a negative mindset and attitude about your career opportunities and the economy in general. However, you can acknowledge the reality of the circumstances without deciding to give up on all of your aspirations. Here are four ways to stay positive with your career goals during uncertain times!
1. Remove yourself from the 24-hour news cycle
The news (in televised and online forms) is obviously an important source of information. Due to current events, news coverage across platforms has become continuous, operating as a 24-hour cycle. While it’s helpful to know vital safety and local information, reading and watching the news all day can also lead to the development of an overall mindset of negativity and cynicism. This negativity, worry, and doubt can often make people believe that they won’t be successful with their career endeavors. Set aside specific times of the day to get caught up with the news, and then remove yourself from the constant news cycle.
2. Limit your time on social media
Personal and professional social media platforms can be beneficial for networking purposes, especially when almost everything is operating exclusively online. On the other hand, social media can be extremely time consuming and overwhelming. Social media platforms consistently bombard you with details, images, content and other people’s ideas. The specific people and organizations you follow can have a large impact on your ability to remain positive about yourself and your career outlook. Limiting your time on social media can help you focus on your own thoughts, opinions, and goals.
3. Maintain your support system and network of professional contacts
Working remotely and living under quarantine can impact your sense of connection to others. Pursuing a job search is a goal that can be stressful and seem isolating during these times. Maintaining your support system of positive family members and friends can help you keep going during uncertainty. Staying in touch with your network of professional contacts, mentors and/or coaches is another way to remain motivated and optimistic about your career. Scheduling some time to talk through challenges via phone or video with those in your support system is also beneficial.
4. Stay focused on your goals
It’s safe to say that with all that’s going on, there are countless distractions which influence what we think and do. Under the current circumstances, it’s very easy to lose sight of your goals and the steps necessary to achieve them. The previously mentioned points are all ways to help you reduce the amount of outside, negative influences. By doing those things, it’s easier for you to stay focused on your goals. Time will continue to pass, and if you’ve maximized your energy, effort, and abilities, it increases your chances of being successful in the future.
Have you been able to stay positive during the current pandemic? Global health regulations have affected basic activities and forced the majority of people to work from home. As a result, many professionals have begun to feel negative about reaching their career goals. Not viewing news constantly around the clock and reducing the amount of time on social media, are helpful ways to become more positive. Maintaining your support system and professional contacts can also allow you to stay focused on your goals. What change can you make to stay positive during these uncertain times?
Porschia Parker-Griffin is a Certified Coach, Professional Resume Writer, and Founder of Fly High Coaching. (https://www.fly-highcoaching.com) She empowers ambitious professionals and motivated executives to add $10K on average to their salaries.