“Normal” life begins to resume for a large part of the population After the confinement due to COVID-19, we begin to have more freedom of movement, we can see family and friends, we can make “non-essential” purchases, we can go for a drink, to the beach…
This is allowing us to recover some of our past habits (always without forgetting that we must continue to maintain all the relevant security measures), but many people do not have a routine to return to for different reasons. Among all the possible routine changes, we are going to focus on the work part.
Their situation may have changed indefinitely for those who must continue teleworking, who are in an ERTE, or who, unfortunately, have lost their job, are at risk of dismissal or will not be able to access summer jobs. It is also possible that there are students who have completed their studies and are now facing the uncertain world of work altered by COVID-19.
Of all the options proposed, the one that, a priori, can generate the least discomfort and uncertainty is the option of teleworking, since we can have a certain job and economic stability. That is why we are going to put special emphasis on the rest of the situations and their possible psychological consequences.
People who are in an ERTE can consider how this situation will end, when they will be able to return to work and even if they will return to work or could lose their job. Many times, this is associated with certain cognitive dualities, since on the one hand they have the “security” of being supported by the ERTE and the fact of not having lost their job, but at the same time, it is a situation in which they have not returned to his job.
Another situation that may be connected to the previous one occurs in those people who have lost their jobs or who are not going to access the one they usually have ; for example, in summer contracts. In this case, the person can go through two phases.
On the one hand, you have to accept the situation of unemployment, with the possible economic problem that may be associated.
In this phase, the person must evaluate what economic consequences this new situation has, that is, if they have savings, if they have other sources of income at home, the expenses they usually have, and with all this, explore their short-term options. deadline to be able to cope with the day to day.
Once this phase is controlled, the person must consider in the medium term what other employment options they may have.
Following the connection between the different situations, the phase of searching for employment options can be related to athat in which a person is trying to access the labor market for the first time, or not It is a stage that, in itself, can be hard and complicated, so in this turbulent situation it can generate fear in certain people.
To do?
It is true that the work situation may have become complicated in the short term, but we must be aware that this is a specific situation that will gradually return to normal. It is important at this point to be aware of what our thoughts and fears are , since a fundamental aspect to control our response in this environment is to be as objective and rational as possible. It seems obvious, but unfortunately it is easy and common to get carried away by fear, which can lead to both panic and blockage, and both options are very negative.
In these situations, all the mechanisms that the person has must be put in place to be able to face this situation. Sometimes, the problem may be that the person does not have job search resources, for example, in those cases It is important that the person be instructed on the main forms of job search, as well as in preparing their CV and other practical aspects
Another situation that may arise is that the person needs to expand their knowledge and training in the sector they want to work in, so the person can be helped to draw up an action plan and see what areas they need to reinforce and how to achieve those goals. knowledge and skills that will help you in your future work.
Finally, Many times we work with the person to help them control the emotions that cause them to go into crisis By this we mean thoughts like “I will never find a job”, “If it was difficult before, now it is impossible”, “Why should I try?”
These types of thoughts only generate discomfort and blockage in the person. Obviously, We do not want to go to the other extreme and have the person assume that they will find a job the first time, but we do want them to make every effort to achieve it
Something that these situations have in common is that they can generate a feeling of uncertainty in the person and it is something in which we must intervene.
From Mariva Psychologists We want to help you get the best out of yourself, especially in these difficult times. Our job is to provide the tools you need depending on your individual situation so that you can face and overcome all these situations in the most satisfactory way possible. You can contact us on this page.
