10 Strategies to Keep Productive & Positive During a Crisis

—Amy M. Gardner

I was recently on a panel asked to share strategies for keeping productive and positive during a crisis.  (For the entire discussion on “Motivation and Resilience – Key Thoughts in a Complex World,” click here to listen.)  Some of the ideas my fellow panelists and I shared might be helpful to you.

To be clear, we certainly don’t want to minimize the current – or any – crisis.  If you are in the middle of a life and death crisis, these strategies will be of very limited use, and reaching out to a therapist or other support will be more helpful.  But for others, I hope these ten strategies can help you keep productive and positive.

Triage. 

Decide what’s non-negotiable right now and don’t hold yourself to unrealistic standards for the rest.  Maybe it’s important to you exercise most days, or that your home is clean and neat.  Whatever it is, prioritize.  (Our advice on eliminating, automating, delegating, trading, and timing tasks can be particularly helpful in a stressful time, as can our advice on not giving everything 110%.)

Focus on quarterly goals. 

Yearly goals encourage procrastination and overwhelm, while monthly goals can be unrealistic, encourage small goals, and become impossible when a crisis pops up.  Following Michael Hyatt’s system of focusing on quarterly goals, three main tasks each day, and three larger tasks each week has been a game changer for me.  By breaking down my goals and having those three main tasks (and larger to do lists each day), I remind myself what really matters, and have flexibility to adapt when the day/week/month/quarter get derailed by a crisis.  (You can learn more about Michael Hyatt’s system in detail here.)

Focus on what you can control. 

Focusing on what is actually within your control can help you stay positive or productive in any situation where much is out of your control – whether a death in your family, sick family member, a natural disaster, or the COVID-19 situation.  You may not be able to control how long schools are closed, or frustrating conduct of a coworker.  You can control how you spend your time while you can’t do the things you normally do, and how you are showing up for family, colleagues, and others in your life. 

Avoid both denial and compulsive worrying. 

Keep yourself informed, and give yourself time to focus on the situation and your feelings about it for a few minutes each day.  Then, though, move on and focus on what is in your control.  In other words, don’t ignore reality, but don’t wallow in it.

Adopt a growth mindset. 

Regardless of what is going on around you, adopting a growth mindset and constantly working to improve yourself will help you feel more in control and enhance your career.  To get started, identify one or two skills you want to work on and spend time each week or each day improving it, by reading about the skill, practicing it, or watching relevant videos.  Maybe you have more free time without a commute and want to use this time to improve your Spanish to better converse with international clients.  Or improve your executive presence – an especially helpful skill for video meetings.  (Get started with our Executive Presence Quiz at enhancedep.com.)  You can also find loads of free webinars and resources on the Apochromatik website Free Resources page.

Learn from others. 

Everyone has had their life disrupted whether they are “just” being quarantined, have lost their job, or are forced to watch from afar as a loved one fights for their life.  Learn from others and don’t be afraid to try out what is working for them.

One example of how to do this is Apochromatik’s virtual #cocktailsduringcovid, a time for professionals to come together on Zoom and decompress, share strategies, and network.  (To join the next #cocktailsduringcovid, register here to receive the Zoom link.  All are welcome for this informal, free event Mondays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. CDT.)

Draw on your community. 

You are not in this alone and no one expects you to be Wonder Woman or Super Man – except maybe you.  

We’ve seen how the members of our attorney mastermind groups who want to advance in their career or change roles have tremendous success.  Each person is doing the work themselves, but it’s a huge asset to be able to draw on a community of other smart, dedicated people going through similar challenges and willing to help each other succeed.  Whether through a mastermind, an accountability group, a coach, a therapist, or just a group of colleagues who encourage and support each other, ask for what you need, and support others.

Remind yourself of other challenges you’ve conquered. 

You’ve done hard things before.  And if you’re struggling now to remember them, that only goes to show that you’ve recovered from them fully.  As the saying goes, you’ve survived 100% of your hard days so far, so remember that you’ll get through these days, too.

Look at people you admire. 

I read a lot of biographies and autobiographies and my bet is that you’d be hard pressed to think of someone you admire who hasn’t overcome something significant.  If they hadn’t, what would they have to write about?

Give yourself – and those around you – grace. 

Assume everyone around you is doing the best they can and would do better if they knew better.  That mindset will save you a lot of stress and frustration. 

This isn’t an easy time for anyone, but our 10 strategies will hopefully help you remain productive and positive for this crisis – or the next.

Would you like customized help?  Members of our email list received a free, 30 minute call to help them strategize about the current situation and their career.  If you’d benefit from a strategy call with an Apochromatik Certified Coach, join our email list today and then reach out to amy@apochromatik.com or keith@apochromatik.com to schedule your call.  

Amy M. Gardner is a certified professional coach with Apochromatik specializing in career development and career transition coaching.  Amy is a former Big Law associate, partner at a mid-size law firm, and dean of students at a top 5 law school. Today she works with lawyers and other high-achieving professionals to build the career and life they want. Contact Amy directly at amy@apochromatik.com.