Instead of worrying about social distancing having a detrimental impact, it can actually bring you closer to your career goal.
The combination of early prevention and social distancing has made Taiwan one of the most successful models in the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
While social distancing is indeed key to “flattening the curve” for the pandemic, many are worried about its effects on work. These days, more people are working from home and trying to find their productivity groove in this familiar environment.
While some have made the transition smoothly, there are others who are struggling as the home-office life can sometimes be harder than it looks. There are also those who have painfully lost jobs as companies laid off people to stay afloat.
These are uncertain times of a scale never experienced before and if you are feeling anxious about the future, you are not alone.
None of us has a crystal ball.
However, instead of pining away, social distancing is a golden opportunity to step away from the hustle and bustle of office life, take stock of what you have achieved professionally and plan what you should do next.
The reality for most people is that they are predominantly occupied by their jobs, and think only of their career plans when they are unexpectedly approached by a recruiter.
Most people are busy pushing themselves day and night to become the best version of themselves professionally, but are unnaturally passive when it comes to planning their career.
It is the main reason why when a crisis like COVID-19 hits, those who are not prepared bear the full brunt of it and find it difficult to recover from the aftermath.
This often results in subsequent career moves that are less than desirable. In some cases, it might even mean shifting down to first gear and accepting whatever is available.
COVID-19 jolts us into the reality that there is a need to plan and upskill to stay relevant, marketable and hence robust against unexpected situations.
As you practice social distancing as a responsible citizen of the world, one of the best things to do is to use the time and space to review your profession and its future potential opportunities.
Examine where disruptive technologies are likely to come in that would change the way you interact and work.
Understanding this in advance means you can upskill earlier to continue to add value to your employers. You might be “crushing it” at clients’ meetings today with your preparation and in-person executive presence, but moving forward, you might need to achieve that stellar performance via a Web cam and microphone as the future of work shifts permanently to virtual meetings.
It might all seem a bit daunting at the beginning, but with focus and practice, getting to your career goal can be achieved readily by understanding what is trending and building up on those skills sets to set yourself up for success.
Social distancing through working at home also frees you up from the routine of daily commuting, giving you the extra time and energy to invest in learning from a myriad of online courses.
We do not need eight continuous hours to be productive. Interspacing learning segments throughout your daily work can make a gradual, but significant difference in your work performance and career goals.
Joo Kwang Chan is the cofounder of MediOmni, a management consultancy based in Hong Kong. He is also a career coach who helps professionals to achieve career clarity and advancement.
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