For many students, uncertainty feels more present than ever before. Final activities of the year are either postponed or canceled altogether, and fears over finals and college exit exams are beginning to settle in. While you may think that these are desperate times (and in some ways, they are), there’s no reason to reach for desperate measures just yet. In fact, if we all strap in and start implementing at least a couple of these four keys to success, we can all find a way to thrive during these uncertain times.
1. Learn What You Can Control
So often in life, we spin our tires trying to change something that, in all reality, we have absolutely no control over. What’s more, we lose out on numerous opportunities when we waste time on worrying.
Next time you catch yourself worrying over something, pause for a moment and examine what you can actually control in the given situation. When you recognize what you can control and only focus your energy on those aspects of the situation, you’ll set yourself up to handle life more effectively and, ultimately, net more success.
2. Keep Your Options Open
While it’s important to identify your long-term goals in life and follow that trajectory, uncertain economic times may cause some bumps along the way. Therefore, it’s important to develop some broadly useful skills and flexible career strategies. This will ultimately improve your ability to stand out from the crowd and quickly adapt to multiple roles that could later net you career success.
3. Develop Flexibility
When times get tough, the tough get going — and they are able to do so quickly because they can think on their feet. Rigidity often holds people back and prevents them from achieving their full potential. Instead, you must remain flexible to the daily changes that these uncertain times we find ourselves in require.
4. Manage Your Stress
If you ask any highly successful person what helps them the most, the majority of them will list stress management as a top priority. This isn’t surprising since stress can quickly wreak havoc on our mental and physical health, which in turn impacts our productivity and chances to succeed in our careers.
You can easily manage your stress by creating mindful moments where you check in with yourself and break out of your humdrum day. Also, make sure you’re caring for your basic needs, as not doing so can cause stress to ramp up quickly.
Whether you’re worried about graduation or stressing over upcoming exams, know that we all understand the frustration and fear you’re feeling right now. By focusing on what you can control and taking life day by day, though, you’ll ultimately find that light at the end of the tunnel and break through with flying colors.
Feature Image by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
