Staying on-task is difficult at the best of times, let alone when you are going through something crisis-worthy. If you are a freelancer or other independent contractor going through a professional crisis, learn how to keep yourself on-task. The main difference between a personal and a professional crisis is that you will be judged on overcoming a work-related crisis. Why? How? Keep reading to find out!

Why does your work ethic matter during a professional crisis?

The reality is that how you address and recover from a professional crisis speaks volumes about your level of professionalism and versatility. Keeping up with your deadlines, answering emails, focusing on marketing, etc., should all continue even during a mild or severe professional crisis. Your work ethic will define your business and professional personality and prove your professional worth to the business world.

How to work effectively during a work-related crisis

No matter what is going on behind the scenes of your work life, unfortunately, you still have to get your work done. Here are the tips I use to help me get through the worst of it!

• Schedule every minute of every day: If this sounds tedious, bear with me. You probably already have set hours that you work. So, schedule your work day and stick to that schedule every single day. This is a great way to focus on what you need to get done, even when other things are happening. As I wrote in my book, one of the best benefits I’ve found with this over-scheduling approach is that when that voice pipes up in your head, saying, “You aren’t doing enough,” you can use that schedule and see that you are doing enough — even amidst the crisis.

• Keep your professional reputation front-of-mind: This is an important distinguishing point from when I discussed dealing with a personal crisis last time. Since you will want to recover from your work-related crisis as gracefully as possible, remember your reality when approaching deadlines, customer communication, and more. This reminder can help you remember to focus on what is important (i.e., recovering) and ensure there is minimal disruption to your deadlines, services, etc. This is especially important when emotions run high.

• Keep your crisis to yourself: You already know to separate your professional and personal life. When dealing with a professional crisis, don’t address it with customers and clients. Even if they ask you about it directly, keep it general and say, “This is something I’m currently working through, and I’ll do my best to make sure it doesn’t impact deadlines or professional services.”

Take it as it comes

It doesn’t matter what the professional crisis is. It could be a negative review or a smear campaign from a troll. It might be something like contract disputes or losing a large client. Regardless, you will face judgement from clients, customers, and competitors on how you manage it. The same goes for how you recover. The quieter your approach (as I mentioned above), the more impressed those around you will be. This can help you earn trust and loyalty even though you may feel you are at a low point in your career as a freelancer.

How have you handled professional crises? Is there a set game plan that you follow? Feel free to share below, fellow freelancers and readers!