If the Pandemic Has Thrown Off Your Career Goals, Here’s How to Realign Your Focus

After the wild ride that was 2021, I think we can all agree that there’s never been a better time to embrace the “New Year, New Me” mantra. If you’re anything like me, you spent the past 12 months cooking (and eating) every single Alison Roman recipe, binge-watching every single HBO show, subscribing to every single fitness app, and avoiding every single one of your responsibilities. Not only has pandemic life completely killed any motivation I once had to actively progress my career, but I’ve also lost sight of my career goals during the decade of my life I had planned on really prioritising it.

According to licensed therapist, Rebecca Phillips, losing focus of your career during times of uncertainty (read: the pandemic), is completely natural. “We can feel frozen in fear when our futures seem uncertain,” she tells POPSUGAR Australia. “When we’re not sure what to expect, we may feel overwhelmed, which can lead to inaction or stagnation.” And that’s exactly what seems to have happened to me.

The best way to get out of this rut? Realign your focus and reset your career goals. “There is a lot of value in setting goals because having a goal to work towards gives you guidance and direction,” says Tess Brigham, expert psychotherapist, certified life coach, and public speaker. “Work goals are important because they help you connect what you’re doing every day to a larger purpose,” she continues, adding, “It’s hard to feel connected to a job if you don’t know the larger reason why you’re doing it and how accomplishing certain tasks helps you grow.”

Here’s how to realign your focus and set clear goals.

Determine Your Values

According to decision coach, Nell Wulfhart, the first thing you should do when setting career goals is to determine your values. “What’s important to you in everyday life?”, she asks. “Autonomy, financial independence, physical freedom, creative fulfilment, time with family, recognition for your work, getting to sleep in on a Thursday morning?” Your values are likely to have changed over the past two years, so you need to be true to yourself. “Trying to go after something that goes against your values is a shortcut to unhappiness.”

Think Long Term

While short term career goals are important, it’s best to first think long term in order to get an understanding of where you want and/or expect to be in 15 to 20 years. It’s nothing to get anxious about, says Brigham, it’s simply an idea. “Nothing is set in stone and this goal will morph, change and grow over time,” she explains, “it’s just to help you navigate in one direction.” 

If you’re having trouble working this out, Brigham recommends looking to those who you admire in your field and working out how they got where they are today. Find their career path on LinkedIn, watch interviews with them on Youtube, and don’t be afraid to reach out to them if you have any questions — more often than not, they’ll be happy to help.

Make A Plan

Once you’ve determined your values and decided on your long term goal, you need to make a plan (this is the fun part!). 

First up, make a list of all the steps that need to be taken to accomplish your long term goal. To kick things off, Wulfhart suggests examining your current work situation. This will help you to map out exactly what you need to do to get where you want to go, from what your next couple of job moves should look like to any certifications and courses you may benefit from over the next few years.

Next up, break this list down into SMART goals, ensuring they align with your values. “SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound,” explains Phillips, who reminds us that they should always remain flexible, especially during these uncertain times.

Lastly, do as Wulfhart advises, and place these goals on a timeline. This is your plan! 

Focus On The Next 12 Months

As soon as your plan is in place, you’ll be able to see what you need to do, short term. Focusing only on the next 12 months, Brigman recommends making a list of the goals you have for 2022 and breaking them down into quarters. “Aim for one goal for each quarter and then break that goal up into three months. For each month, break it up again week-by-week or day-by-day,” she advises. “Once you see how much you need to get done that week or day — the goal starts to feel more doable.” It also makes it easier for you to adapt or update it when things don’t go as planned.

Be Patient

Most importantly, go easy on yourself. As success strategist Carlota Zimmerman tells POPSUGAR, “In many ways, the world is mourning. If you’re not feeling terribly bold or ambitious right about now, join the club. We have all endured, and are enduring, trauma.” And ultimately, there’s no rush to smash all your career goals this year, next year, or even within the next five years. “You owe nothing to anyone but yourself.” Be patient and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”