Written by: Anna Krzysztoszek, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In times of a challenging economic situation, fear, doubts, and other difficult emotions may evoke the impression a positive change is completely out of reach. Here are 3 tips on how to keep up the good spirit, hope, and faith despite external difficulties and challenging emotions.
1. Short-, mid-, and long-term goals
External circumstances might have changed and changes are stressful but it does not mean professional fulfillment is completely out of reach. Reduce the pressure and define some priorities. What would you like to change as soon as possible and which part of your dream can wait a little longer to come true? It makes sense to reduce the most stressful and painful influence as fast as possible so that some energy-boosting relief can be felt. What is the most stressful factor in your current professional environment? A loud-speaking, irritating colleague sitting next to you or a one-hour drive to the office? Is it possible to make some changes in your office working space or do more home office? You get the point. Rome wasn’t built in a day – short-term shifts of the most irritating factors can uplift our mood and have an energy-boosting effect.
2. Supportive daily routine
In one of the affirmations of Ayesha Noelle on YouTube, there is a sentence that says, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity…”. I would even go further and say, “Luck and success is when preparation meets opportunity…”. In times of crisis, it might be impossible to achieve all our professional goals short-term but we can try our best to continuously adjust our daily routine, so we are prepared to take action when the right opportunity comes. In case you cannot afford expensive training currently, plan actions, not results. Do every day the best you can to read, watch content and continue to grow as efficiently as possible under given circumstances.
3. Flexibility & reframing
Slowing down and changing the deadlines linked to our goals is not equal to failure. Think about it as a kind of rolling financial forecast. Check continuously, on a regular basis, if your “forecast” is still leading you toward your professional fulfillment. Try to let go of the idea that a career plan is something set in stone. In times of economic crisis, it could be an assumption leading to unnecessary stress. Flexibility, creativity, and continuous, honest self-dialogue and check-ups could help you much more in times of permanent, ongoing changes. Reframe every experience and observation linked to the implementation of your “career forecast”, so they become learning experiences and supportive observations, not judgmental conclusions related to your self-worth or capacities.
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Anna Krzysztoszek, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Anna Krzysztoszek has more than 20 years of international experience in business ‒ from large corporations to start-ups. She is the owner of Green Butterfly ‒ Coaching & Recruiting. The completion of her German and Dutch studies, her pedagogical education, the certificate of a Psychological Advisor and various business degrees, such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), reflect Anna's main focus and passion: combining her economical expertise with the always present interest in people and the art of making the best of our lives. This especially applies to professional matters ‒ after all, we spend a third of our life at our workplace.
