21 September Tips for adapting to change and being resilient September 21, 2020 By ACHSM Admin career, challenges, Change, COVID-19, fresh starts, General, mental health, Victoria 0 by Sabrina Pilla 1st year management intern Over the past 6 months, we have seen unprecedented changes to the way we work, the way we live and the way we learn. Upon commencing my internship in January 2020, I would never have presumed I would be asked to work from home after a couple of months. Not knowing if I would return to my city office desk, the uncertainty and ambiguity of the pandemic were challenging at times. However, I had to readily adapt to meet the demands of this new, evolving world. Here are eight tips that have assisted me in adapting to change and being resilient: Connect Connect with your team, family and friends. Make an effort to schedule in regular catch-ups, zoom calls, virtual trivia and coffees (or alcoholic beverage of choice) Monitor your mental health Whilst working from home, it was easy to let tasks pile up and become overwhelmed. To combat this, I implemented time management systems. I set time goals for myself by using a timer and accomplishing as much work possible in that set time. I reward myself after completion (however not with too much chocolate). Additionally, I have started journaling. I have really enjoyed reflecting on my day just for a few minutes as a way to monitor my thoughts, debrief and destress. Take regular breaks and stay active Scheduling in regular walks and keeping active helps with my work productivity and decreases stress. When appropriate, I try and schedule walking meetings to help reduce ‘zoom fatigue.’ Set goals At the start of each week, I prioritised my tasks and set daily goals for myself to help keep me on track. I ensured the goals I developed were; SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely), visible each day, and ticked tasks off as I completed them. Checking goals and tasks off my list always makes me feel good and motivates me to do more. Utilise online learning resources available The way we learn and access to online resources has changed eminently. There are thousands of free courses, webinars and resources available - use them to your advantage! I found having too many options to be overwhelming at times, so I attempted to focus on one resource at a time. Make an effort to build a professional network As an intern during the pandemic, it has been particularly challenging to network and build connections. Scheduling in some time to get aquainted with mangers helped break through some of the personal barriers, making working from home a little easier. It also gave me some insight into how those management level positions got to where they are today and has given me insight on possible career paths. Remember to switch off Make an effort to disconnect from work at the end of the day. I had to set clear boundaries with myself when working from home and turned off email notifications after hours to avoid distractions. Have fun and stay grateful Remembering to have fun and being appreciative during this time has helped me enormously. Ruminating on the negatives of the pandemic has been unhelpful.Instead, I write down one thing I am grateful for each day. This has improved my mood and optimism, assisted in adapting to change and becoming more resilient. Related Posts Change (People) Management: Managing the Change Before it Manages You (Annie Makar) Change management is as much about the systematic approach as the people. The definition of change management is well-researched and documented. However, most fail to address one critical aspect: the employees affected by the change. Climate change: the role of health service management in leading for change (Funmi Lamidi) Funmi Lamidi discusses the role that health service management can play in combatting the climate crisis. Promoting change in the healthcare sector (Ian Campelj) Ian Campelj discusses how to promote change in the modern healthcare sector Change management – more than just a professional development tool Jane Dinh reflects on the importance of change management in a health management career and her experiences of the best ways to handle changes in health management. Change is the New Black Tegan Cotter, a first-year management intern, reflects on her journey to the HMIP and why change might not be so bad after all Being a Human Firewall: Cybersecurity in Health (Michelle Middleton) Michelle Middleton discusses the challenges of cybersecurity in health Comments are closed.