Be Kind to Yourself

by Angela Copeland | Aug 25, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Coronavirus, Newsletter

There are many days when 2020 feels like the year that will never end. In 2019, if someone had been taking bets about how this year would play out, we all would have lost. One of the most challenging things about this year has been self-care. And, it’s that same self-care that allows our best selves to show up for friends, family — and in the workplace.

It is so easy to get caught up with work. We’re living with work right now. Working from home can intensify the day, and it can extend our hours. No longer are we taking the same coffee breaks to chat with colleagues about the weekend. And, we don’t have somewhere to be right after work.

The endless video calls can also be draining. Many people are sitting, staring into a tiny computer camera all day long.

In many places, gyms are closed. It has made falling off of our workout routines the new norm. Somehow, even though we’re eating at home more, it’s become harder to eat healthy. It’s easier to find yourself eating chips and pizza than ever before.

The problem is, all of this working, lack of exercise, and poor diet will eventually catch up to us. And, I’m not talking about in terms of our waistlines. I’m talking about how we feel day to day.

Working long hours is only helpful if you’re feeling like yourself. If you’re dragging through the day, it’s just one long, unproductive day bleeding into the next one. If you’re feeling bad, it’s time to pull yourself out of it, one bit at a time.

The first step is sleep. Getting good rest is so important. Then, it’s about trying to eat a little healthier each day. And, don’t forget about drinking enough water to stay hydrated.

It’s also important to keep up your social connections. This is harder to do right now in many ways. But, the good news is that more and more people are using the phone and video chats to stay in touch.

Last, work to create boundaries between work and home. Create a daily schedule and stick to it. When you’re working, focus on work. When work is over each day (at a predetermined time), stop working. Don’t go back to it unless there is a truly exceptional reason (such as an emergency).

All of these things seem basic on some level. That’s very true, until they aren’t. We are all struggling so hard to create a new normal that works for us. Some days will be better than others. Give yourself the space for bad days. Be kind to yourself even when you’re struggling. And work to improve your self-care routines, so that each day may be a little better than the one before.

Unfortunately, we may be in this challenging situation for a while. It’s important to take care of ourselves along the way.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

Empathy: Why We Need It

by Angela Copeland | Jul 27, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Coronavirus, Newsletter

“He’s just not paying attention in meetings!” “She’s just not the same person right now.” “It’s like he doesn’t care anymore about his work!” “She missed her deadline.” These are all things people are saying about their colleagues right now.

I get it. You’re frustrated at work. Not everyone is carrying their weight in the same reliable way as they were before March of 2020. But, this is the thing. There is more going on behind that work from home computer screen than you know. The pandemic is not impacting everyone equally. It’s just not. And it is very likely that your coworkers will not feel comfortable to tell you just what’s going on in their personal lives.

For example, you may have one coworker who is trying to homeschool their children while maintaining their job. Another may be in poor health themselves, and they may not be able to venture outside for the things they need. Some people are dealing with aging parents who are homebound. Other colleagues may have family members who are dealing with terminal illness, while this is all going on. Some people have lost family members or friends and have been unable to grieve in the normal way. Single people have often been completely removed from other human beings for months, longing for real connection. And, some people have someone in their house who has COVID.

We tend to believe that hard work is the answer to everything. If you want to make your way to the top, you’ve got to climb. The best person should win. It’s a little like Darwin. But, really, we are facing a global pandemic. It’s worse than anything we’ve likely ever experienced in our lifetime, and on a massive, massive scale that is extending on for months.

People are struggling. They have good days. They have bad days. And, they have some very bad days. It doesn’t make the person less worthy of the job they had in February. And, I get it. We have to make money in order for businesses to stay in business.

This situation reminds me of growing up in Oklahoma. We had tornadoes; really big, destructive tornadoes. Sometimes, one would come through and tear up entire neighborhoods. People would be without homes, without water, and without power for days. The only way they survived was this: together. They pulled together, and together, they all made it out.

That’s what we have to do here. I know, it’s frustrating. It feels unfair when you have to do a little more work than normal. It’s upsetting when a coworker is late on something they promised you. It’s annoying when someone takes a day off for their mental health out of the blue.

But, this is the reality we’re living in. To make it out, we need to do it together. And, we need to do it with empathy for one another.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach