Here are my top 10 tips to cope with change during the lifting of restrictions of COVID-19 and to help you achieve a better balance in your life going forward. Take a moment to read and reflect on these tips – and then get your life in balance!
Negotiate a Change with Your Current Employer
Progressive employers recognise the value of good employees, and many are willing to find ways to help current employees deal with short-term or permanent changes caused by these unprecedented, current and changing conditions. The changes may include flexi-time, job-sharing, working from home, or part-time employment. Your first step is to research your employer’s policies and methods of handling these requests. Then go to your boss armed with information and a plan that shows how you will be an even more valuable and productive employee when you can modify your current work situation.
Find a New Career. Some careers are simply more stressful and time-consuming than others. If you need more time for yourself or your family, now could be the ideal time to explore careers that are less stressful and more flexible.
Find a New Job
Rather than a career change, perhaps you simply need to take a less stressful job within your chosen career? This change may involve working with your current employer to identify a new position, it may involve a full job-search, or it may involve temping or becoming a consultant, starting freelancing or other home-based business.
Slow Down
Life is simply too short, so don’t let things pass you in a haze. Take steps to cope with change. Stop and enjoy the things and people around you. Schedule more time between meetings; don’t make plans for every evening or weekend and find some ways to distance yourself from the things that are causing you the most stress.
Learn to Better Manage Your Time. Avoid Procrastination
For many people, most of the stress they feel comes from simply being disorganised — and procrastinating. Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines — and then stick to them. You will find that not only are you less stressed, but your work will be better.
Share the Load
Even though we may sometimes feel we’re the only ones capable of doing something, it’s usually not the case. Get your partner or other family members to help you with all your personal/family responsibilities. Taking care of the household, children, or parents, should not be the responsibility of just one person.
Let Things Go. (Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.)
It’s easier said than done but learn to let things go once in a while. So what if the dishes don’t get washed every day or that the house doesn’t get vacuumed every week. Learn to recognise the things that don’t really have much impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go – and not beat yourself up for doing so.
Explore Your Options. Get Help
If you are feeling overwhelmed with your family responsibilities, please get help if you can afford it. Find a sitter for your children, explore options for ageing parents and seek coaching or counselling for yourself. In many cases, you have options, but you need to take the time to find them, (and the cost of business coaching can be very reasonable) .
Take Charge. Set Priorities
Sometimes it’s easier for us to allow ourselves to feel overwhelmed rather than taking charge and developing a prioritised list of things that need to get done. You need to buck the trend. Develop a list. Set priorities. And then enjoy the satisfaction of crossing things off your list.
Simplify
It seems human nature for just about everyone to take on too many tasks and responsibilities, to try to do too much, and to own too much. Find a way to simplify your life. To cope with change, Change your lifestyle. Learn to say no to requests for help. Get rid of the clutter and baggage in your house — and your life.
In the end, the keyword is balance. You need to find the right balance that works for you. Celebrate your successes and don’t dwell on your failures. Life is a process, and so is striving for balance in your life.
If you’re struggling with any of the above, contact me and we’ll work out a plan, for YOU.
This article is written by Greg Dalton, he is a career and life coach with more than 25 years experience.
Book a 15-minute free discovery call with Greg today.
