Managing your job or business during a personal crisis:
BEING diagnosed with stage two breast cancer at age 35 was Sandra Samuels-Reid’s catastrophe 13 years ago.
The barber, aesthetician and managing director of Totally Male Club Spa in Kingston has since counselled many individuals and presented to churches, schools, media houses and private sector entities. Recently, she shared her story with a group of Sagicor team members at the company’s annual motivational seminar. The business owner shared her story about how she managed to beat her battle with cancer and be embraced by the arms of success and happiness.
According to Samuels-Reid, the coping mechanisms which she engaged to help her with her challenge are pretty universal and can be incorporated by any individual battling a personal crisis. Below are Samuels-Reid’s essentials to managing your job or business during a personal crisis.
1. Research and plan
I knew nothing about breast cancer really. There was no real discussion about it in the papers, television, radio; well, certainly none I had noticed or paid attention to before. When I joined Jamaica Reach To Recovery I saw how many persons were already surviving.
Remember, you are never alone. Reassurance and learning from others’ experiences is often the beginning of the healing process. Once you have identified your support team and have a positive outlook, start planning your timeline, finances, resources and a new beginning.
2. Always look at overcoming crisis as a second chance at life
“I believe every situation provides an opportunity for growth, so what sometimes seems like a failure many times lead us to our real purpose in life.”
3. Have power over your thoughts
“Believe in yourself and go for what you want. Get over fear as it will cripple you and deter you from achieving your goals. I stay centred and focused by going to church, as I believe strongly that God is my source and my provider.
What most people don’t know is that we improve our state of mind with positive thinking and doing it with the right attitude. Successful people reach their set goals and targets by thinking positively.
Having a positive mental attitude is a value that must be constantly practised in order to stay motivated, to focus positively on the task at hand and to achieve the success that you have always wanted.
Happiness is a choice and it is up to you to live the life you want.
4. Cover your bases
When a crisis first arises, you may have to leave work for days, weeks or months on end.
Communicate effectively with your long-standing clients and support staff. Don’t be afraid to request help from the resources available within your organisation as it pertains to time off, and affiliate with companies that may offer valuable support services that can help with your crisis. You can also ask a co-worker to serve as your communication liaison with the office and perhaps forward work e-mails to your home.
Ask lots of people for a little help. If your crisis is really stressful, it’s better to risk straining a few people than overload yourself.
My career was not affected in any way. Support from my friends and family allowed my business to run uninterrupted during my six months of surgery and treatment.
5. Embrace change and help others
Having breast cancer brought me back to reality and I stopped procrastinating and completed my bucket list; and from that time until now I have been living a life of balance, making time for work, family, friends and pleasure. So I would say my life improved.
Surround yourself with the right persons, live happy and live the life God intended for you, not for anyone else.
