The COVID-19 pandemic came along and disrupted everything – including our careers. Now, some find themselves unexpectedly in search of employment and others are struggling with increased workloads or new responsibilities.
When it comes to these realities, I have a lot of optimism. Why? Because the alternative is worry and there’s nothing productive about that. COVID-19 brings us lemons every day but with them, abundant opportunity to make delicious lemonade by the gallon. Of course, making lemonade from lemons is a pain in the butt and it’d be way easier to buy a container of lemonade-flavored yellow sugar instead and pretend we made the effort. But like life itself, we get out of it what we put into it. Making the best of this global health crisis requires a strong make-lemonade mindset. Get thinking like that, and this pandemic could actually help your career.
Side note: This make-lemonade mindset is a common adult child of an alcoholic (ACoA) trait because when faced with terrible problems as young people, we learned to create solutions swiftly. So, it makes sense that as adults, we jump to making lemonade when terrible things happen.
Five things you can do to make COVID-19 boost your career.
1. Use your extra time for creative pursuits or side hustles.
If you’re working from working from home, you now have more time every day because the commute to the office is reduced to 30 seconds. I have heard from some people who now have an extra three hours per day that used to be spent commuting back and forth from the office. You may be giving that extra time to your employer to get more done, or maybe you’ve turned to video games, social media or Netflix to disconnect from work, or maybe you have kiddos at home who need your attention.
But this gift of time could provide you time for creative fun such as painting, writing, playing guitar, building stuff, learning a new language – you know the stuff that lights you up but you couldn’t really find time for it, in your pre-pandemic life.
All that creative stuff gives us a more balanced life and will lead to greater productivity in our day jobs. You may also pick up marketable skills that will make you even more attractive to employers. I’ve heard of people building upon their high school Spanish education and then later snagging better jobs in which secondary language skills make them stand out from other candidates.
Plus, the more balanced your life is outside of work, the more motivated you’ll feel in the 9 to 5.
2. Pick up new skills.
Since COVID-19 came along, many of the familiar staples about where and how we work flipped upside down. In many companies, where and how we work has entirely changed. If you’re seeking employment, it’s a fantastic time to consider roles that you never previously considered. Everything is unprecedented about right now so your career moves can be unprecedented, too.
Take on those new assignments at work with confidence and curiosity. Perfection isn’t expected right now.
I work in health care. My role changed overnight. It was all hands on deck – and I was assigned to work with various departments. I had to learn many new things and make decisions on the fly. It was stressful AF but I as it goes with doing anything that scares you, I grew personally and professionally.
If you’re still knee deep in the chaos at work, remember that but you’re probably doing things you never thought possible and you’re stronger now. We’re building experience and we have opportunity to contribute during a very important time.
3. Let people get to know you on a more personal level.
COVID-19 sent many of us from the office to quarantine in our homes. Through video conferences, we saw each other in our natural habitats, and we lamented about shared struggles, smiled at kids, and bonded over music when we spotted our favorite records hanging on a coworker’s wall.
On the stressful days, when we may have felt like crying, we laughed together instead. When you share traumatic experiences with people, there’s abundant vulnerability and with it, memories. People are getting to know you on a more personal level, so you have great opportunity to deepen relationships and build trust and rapport.
My cat, Larry, regularly makes cameos in my meetings; he is famous, and he doesn’t even know it.
4. Reset your career.
Whether you’re in pursuit of a new job or adjusting to many changes at work, it’s a fantastic time to take a good look at where you are now and where you want to be. Organizations are resizing, restructuring, redesigning, and changing things up with whatever other “re” word there is to add. They’re more agile and quick in decision making than they ever have been because it’s required for business survival. For you, this means they may be more willing to make changes that could be very favorable for you. Raise your hand for something new. Apply for jobs you don’t feel qualified enough for.
5. Become a positive-energy leader.
You and your coworkers have been through a lot – and continue to work through uncertainty and unpredictability. No matter your title, you have opportunity to be a leader to those around you. Now more than ever, your positive energy and laughter can help your coworkers and leaders. During these times, sometimes the most impactful leaders are not always leaders by title.
Wishing you well.
New here? Hello! I’m Jody Lamb, a personal growth author and blogger. If it helps you create the life you want, I’m writing about it. I’m an adult child of an alcoholic; I’m healing and enjoying the life I want! Get my book for free here. Subscribe for free access to my monthly newsletter:
Great tips! I have seen lots of people taking up new skills or even indulging full-time in their hobbies. I think most cookies were baked during this time than at any other point in history 🙂 I also bumped into some good workout channels and working on my physique.
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