And my moment channeling Gary Vee
Maybe you've seen the news about actions taken in the US to reduce the size of government.
Without going into any details, the start of 2025 is indeed a supremely unsettling time to be a govvie. Workplace stress abounds!
Don't ask me for advice. I might give it to you
One of my colleagues, about half my age, is very unsettled, and for good reason. So-called probationary employees have fewer protections than longer-standing employees, so they're low-hanging fruit for the chainsaw through no fault of their own.
He asked for my advice on a career path. (I must say, it was nice to be asked for advice. I wish it would happen more often, so I didn't have to suffer in silence or, worse, advise people who didn't want it.)
Here are three areas I advised him on:
1. Pay attention to the five-to-nine
If all you've got is a nine-to-five, it causes a lot of anxiety when it's threatened.
My colleague talked about drone licenses. Done right, taking advantage of a drone license can be very lucrative. Not my thing, but if it's his he could hardly do worse than to investigate the process and the potential.
Just working for yourself every day in some way — profitably, or not yet — relieves a lot of stress, especially in unsettling times.
2. Update the resume
He mentioned “updating his resume and applying for other jobs” in the conversation.
I clarified that those are two separate activities. Updating the resume is wise regardless. An updated resume doesn't have to be shown to any prospective employers, but it's there if the desire, or need, arises.
Each year is another year to add to your talent stack. Make sure to keep track of it!
3. Take advantage of youth
This is where I channeled Gary Vee a bit. I was reminded of this reel on TikTok (warning: language — but completely in character for Gary Vee haha!) that talks about the advantages of youth.
There's a lot less at stake in your mid-20s than in your mid-50s. I was a full-time student until I was 28, and that now has provided me an important cautionary tale to pass on to people.
It's a lot easier to pick yourself up after a fall when you're younger. It's also a lot easier to go in an entirely different direction. There's resiliency there if you embrace it.
Take stock of what you have to reduce workplace stress
It's far too easy to focus on the bad, and forget the good. To dwell on the weakness and miss the strength.
Above all, it's important to remember that you are not your job. You are you, and you can go somewhere else — and it may even be a better place.
What are you working on during your five to nine? What are you building for yourself?
Thanks for reading!
Hi, I'm John and I encourage people to work for themselves, and on themselves, every day to sleep better at night.
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Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash