By Erin Kennedy
Every so often, uncertain times come to a large part of the economy. It might be a government shut down, severe weather, or a variety of other calamities can happen that affect the market and your job. Even when uncertainty affects a small part of the economy, if it affects your job, then you need to be prepared to navigate unknown waters and weather the storm until you get to the other side.
Here are a few basic points to keep in mind:
• There will occasionally be uncertain times – look back in history and you can see that financial and political crises happen all the time, all over the world. Even if most of the economy is good, if your job is uncertain, then you have every reason to be concerned enough to do something about it. Job-related stress has a variety of symptoms, but it also has resolutions.
• It is always a good idea to prepare for uncertain times – work on paying off your debt load even if all you can do is pay a little more than the minimum every month. It will add up. Put some money in savings every payday, and don’t use it unless it is a last resort. Work out your budget so you have a handle on what you are doing with your money. Sticking to a budget can be tricky, but it is a skill that will serve you well. Talk with your family about how you will get through a crisis; it’s like a fire drill that prepares you for emergencies. And support from your loved ones is very important.
• Don’t waste today’s energy on worrying – actually do something about what stresses you. Take a walk every day instead of eating a donut for breakfast (not that I object to donuts – believe me, I don’t – but a walk is de-stressing where sugary snacks backfire). Look at your worries and work on what you are in control of. If you can not control the thing that worries you, how will worry help? Here is the answer: it won’t.
• Forget about drama and smile at the people in your life – we are in the boat together. It makes the journey so much easier when we treat one another with kindness and respect. The people you work with, the people you live with, and the people you interact with as you go through your day are all on the same ocean, and we all do better when we are smiling.
