Navigating Career Stress During COVID-19

COVID-19 has introduced a variety of career stressors. Previously, work used to be a predictable aspect of your life. It provided stability, structure, certain securities emotionally and financially, that you could rely on when other aspects of your life were uncertain.

Today’s world has shifted and changed how we work and what our workplace environment looks like. Now your work may bring you more anxiety, concern, even dread than ever before. It may be creating feelings of isolation, boredom, or even be the only escape you feel that you have. The pressure you feel to keep being “successful” while at the same time enjoy what you do can be overwhelming. Stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, and fear are emotions that are being experienced at extremely high levels during the pandemic. Whether those stressors are related to financial concerns, job insecurity, keeping your business running, the stress of working from home, or the changing career dynamics, all of these areas create a level of uncertainty. That uncertainty can impact how you feel about yourself, your career, and the world around you. What do you do when your career is no longer able to be that pillar of support, relief, and escape that it once was?

Reframe Your Perspective and Be Kind To Yourself

We can be extremely critical of ourselves when areas of our life that were previously in our control now seem to be beyond our control. We can begin to second guess our choices and ability when it comes to our career. You might begin to doubt yourself and your abilities. It is important now more than ever that you are kind in how you treat and talk to yourself. You may be experiencing increased stress, which can make you feel inadequate, underperforming, and begin to think of yourself in a self-deprecating way. You might say to yourself at times, “I am not good at anything,” or “why can’t I succeed at anything.” These statements are not based on your abilities or performance, but on your response to the chaotic environment around you. It is important to reframe those negative statements about yourself into phrases that will rebuild your confidence. For example, saying positive statements to yourself such as, “success will come, you are working really hard right now, and a lot of aspects of your life are out of control.” These positive statements can not only give you strength, but also allow you to perform better during the work week and relieve yourself from some of the pressure you are feeling.

Find Relief In Other Areas

The current environment due to COVID-19 can feel very isolating, jarring, lonely, and abnormal. As we are all trying to endure the toll that this pandemic can take, we must look to all areas of our life to gain support. While work might have been a source of strength, support, and consistency in the past, it may not be able to provide those aspects to your life at the moment. It is important to engage in other aspects of your life that also provide you joy and relief. Whether it is working out or being physical, being creative and artistic, or engaging in safe social activities, all these areas can provide you with relief, strength, support, and success. These outlets and supportive activities may look and feel different than gaining success at work, yet they can be temporary areas of your life where you gain encouragement, reprieve, and positivity.

You are not alone in the pressure, stress, depression, or anxiety you are feeling in your career. Many aspects of your life have been upended, altered, and removed leaving an unbalance and possibly a feeling of uncertainty throughout your life. These are unprecedented times creating career stress, anxiety, and burnout for many. Career counseling and career coaching can be another source of support in your life to allow you to regain your confidence, direction, motivation, and happiness in your career and beyond. Together you and your career counselor can discover what aspects of your life and career are impacting you and how your can recover emotionally from the current stress and pressure of the world. Career counseling can be a resource that can help you find answers, gain emotional strength, and learn skills/tools that will alleviate your anxiety and find a happier career environment for you. Call us today for a free 15 minute phone consultation to see if career counseling is the right fit for you.

Work Life Balance: Does It Even Exist?

Does your work week feel like it never ends? Does one work week feel like it blends into the next? Can you remember the last time you felt fulfilled from both your job and the areas outside of your work?

All of these questions are common when you are struggling to maintain motivation at work and feel like you are also taking an active role in your home life. You might feel at times that your energy is tapped, and you do not have enough to go around; between work responsibilities, family concerns, and taking care of your personal needs. As a result, you might start to feel unsatisfied, anxious, depressed, or just generally unhappy at your job and at home.

The concept of having a balance between your work and the various other aspects of your life is a frequent area of discussion when talking about work stress and career burnout. Finding a “balance” between your work life and your family, friends, and other personal interests can be a challenge for any working professional. When you are tired, and emotionally/physically exhausted the last thing you are thinking about is balance. So how do you know when you have reached a point of imbalance between your work and personal life?

You feel like you are going through the motions in both work and life.

The joy is not there whether it is when you are talking to a colleague, or with a loved one. You find your mind wandering and wishing you were somewhere else, unable to focus on the current topic. Previously, work, family, and friends brought your life excitement and joy. Now either work or personal relationships feel taxing, exhausting, and uninspired.

You feel like your performance has suffered at work, at home, or both

You feel like you are unable to get ahead at work or at home. Each part of your life has a never-ending to-do list that keeps evolving, multiplying, and shifting. You want to be able to be present, prepared, and competent in these areas of your life, but recently you feel as if your performance has not been up to your usual standards.

Work life balance is different for everyone

Finding what works for you, your family, and your job is an individual process and will look different for everyone. You have unique skills, interests, and dynamics in your life that are personal to you and might look different from your co-workers or family members. When thinking about your work life balance ask yourself what areas of your life are important to you, make you happy, and enhance your life.

Adapt what your work life balance looks like.

Shifting your work life balance as your career and family life change is critical. From the beginning of your career to now, both you and the workplace are every changing. Acknowledging that your work and personal needs are going to change is an important part of being able to readjust the balance in multiple areas of your life.

Finding your work life balance is a process

It will take time to find a balance in your life that works for you both at work and at home. Your ideal version of balance may not be achievable at this moment nor be exactly what you envisioned, and that is okay. You are taking the time to recalibrate your life and find a happier medium that allows you to enrich your life in multiple areas.

You deserve to be happy in both work and your personal life. Times can be stressful and overwhelming, but not being satisfied with your work or career does not have to be the new normal. If you want to reorient the balance in your life or find our what career dynamics can work best for you, call us today for a free 15 minute consult around career counseling.