Revisited- Rest, Reset, Refocus and Be Thankful
A Winter Playbook for Staying Grounded in Uncertain Times
I’m Shradha, and here we explore ways to stay grounded when life and work swirl around you — journaling, frameworks, and small creative practices to keep momentum.
This post was originally published as part of my LinkedIn newsletter in November of 2022. This is as relevant today as it was then. In an attempt to create one base for my newsletter, I will be republishing my LinkedIn newsletter—not as is, but updated with my further observations and learning. Hope you find value in this new addition.
We are coming into the portion of the year where the holiday season seems to throw off our schedules. It is harder especially when you are on a break and looking for jobs. Folks with kids will have varying schedules and days off. There will be social events that we will be participating in and giving up any small control we have on our schedule. Finally, the cold weather doesn’t make it easy. Adding to these is the disappointing news around hiring freezes and layoffs. Amid this chaos how does one still keep up the job search going and not lose momentum? I have been through all of these and it threw my schedule off and it really impacted my productivity, momentum and thus my goals. It was harder to rebuild and recover after falling off the track. I will try to break down each of these and how I tackled them.
News around hiring freeze and layoffs:
I am going to talk about the one that is absolutely out of anyone’s control. Yet there are a lot of things that we can do to find an opportunity with the global events.
1) News Cycles are like a tall gigantic wave, if you panic looking at them, the wave might engulf you completely. But if you ride it out, you will soon get to calmer waters. I would recommend not focusing on the short term news, but look at long term data. So far the jobs I have found have been as below-
First job after my Masters was during the 2008 recession
I had 2 offers after my career break - both were in December
3 Year ago I found my current job in the month of December
So I can say December has been my lucky month with jobs while most people say that is when hiring freezes and people aren’t hiring.
2) The layoffs and hiring freezes are dominating 80% of the news cycle but are from a very small percentage of employers. But these companies are enormous and hence all the noise. Per this article from Nov 4, 2022
tech companies added 20,700 workers in October, the 23rd straight month of job growth. Industry employment has increased by 193,900 in 2022, 28% higher than the same period last year
CompTIA’s monthly Tech Jobs Report has shown 23 straight months of job growth, with job postings remaining strong.) (link)
3) Also, if this were a problem we can think creatively of a solution- there are several other industries that are looking for tech talent and are open to accept more candidates like healthcare sector, finance and retail- they all need IT pros, or people who understand IT. So get creative in your job search. Spreading across industries will eventually have to happen, so that we have somewhat of an even distribution of workforce, rather than the tech giants holding on to all the talent. This will build for a sustainable economy.
Double down or rest
Different times of year present different environments and challenges. Personally, I keep my goals to the minimum during the summer time so that I can spend as much time as I can with the family, vacations, beach trips etc. Having too many goals, I could neither enjoy my vacation nor work on my goals. Winter time for me is slow, homebound due to the cold in the area where I live. I usually set aside this time to generate ideas, review my year, set goals for the year, and learn new things. Assess your personal situation to see if the weekly and monthly goals you have set can still be met with what the next few weeks/ months are looking for. If you need to rest and recuperate, reduce the time you are dedicating to these goals so you can redirect the remaining time towards self- care activities. This will help you come back to your goals with renewed perspective. If you think you have a lot of time to learn a new skill in order to add that to your resume and help you get closer to your dream role, sign up and dedicate time towards it. To double down or to rest both are good, based on what you think is best for you.
Prioritize goals over social events
I can never turn down an invitation. One time I accepted 3 birthday party invites on the same day. What I thought would be a fun day out turned into disaster with cranky kids and tired parents. Since then I have learned to turn down invitations even though I didn’t have much going besides my to-do list. Once you have decided your priorities and goals in the previous step, accept and deny invites based on your goals and not the other way around. If you try to work around social events, you will keep missing your goals. For eg- if according to your winter plan you have set aside Saturday evenings for taking the course or applying for jobs, go ahead and decline that dinner invitation. This is your first step in ownership- owning your goals and do whatever is necessary to keep progressing.
Winter Self Care:
If you live in an area with temperatures rapidly dropping, you will attest to lack of drive to be productive. I want to cozy up with a cup of coffee, a blanket and read a book or watch a movie. After a lot of trial and error, I have found that some easy exercise and a warm drink wakes up all the cells in my body and I can squeeze out some time to do activities that help me move towards my goal. Also, the last year has been a huge transition for the whole world- reeling from the pandemic. On an individual level we all have felt the many consequences of this transition, going back to work and schools, increases in sickness all of it has added to the stress. Maybe it is the time for us to do some self- care after going through this transition.
Hope this holiday season you rest, reset and refocus on your goals. If you have specific questions on how to search for jobs going into the upcoming season, feel free to message me for tips and tricks I used to stand out.
Update Reflections (2025)
There’s so much that has changed in the career landscape since I first wrote this, and somehow, it all feels eerily the same. The layoff news cycle has only intensified, which means my earlier advice about not getting swept up in headlines still holds. But over the last couple of years, I’ve learned a few more things that have helped me navigate the grey areas of job searching, career transitions, and the burnout that’s become far too common in tech. These are small, individual-level practices, the systemic conversation is a whole separate post for another day, but they’ve shaped how I stay grounded, especially during chaotic seasons like winter.
1. Lean on Micro-Momentum (my List of Threes).
Big plans collapse quickly in messy seasons, school breaks, cold weather, job searching, burnout. My List of Threes (three priorities, three tasks, three tiny wins) has become the ultimate winter operating model. It keeps you moving without overwhelming your already stretched bandwidth.
2. Create a Learning System That Matches Today’s Reality.
Long, traditional learning cycles are out. Short, sharp microlearning is in. Learn a bit, apply it immediately, experiment, adjust — that rhythm has helped me stay relevant without the pressure of “being fully ready” before taking action.
3. Know Your AI Edge -Just One.
You don’t need to be an AI expert. You just need to identify the one place where AI amplifies your existing strengths. That edge is what keeps your confidence steady when the market feels shaky.
4. Treat Your Career Like a Marathon, Not a Sprint.
Some years are slow miles. Some months require water breaks. And then suddenly, you hit a stretch where you can go fast again. Allowing for these natural cycles has made my winters feel less like “falling behind” and more like strategic pacing.
5. Build Something Outside of Work to Stay Human.
With AI everywhere and corporate churn at an all-time high, you need a grounding practice. Writing, crafting, journaling, anything that reconnects you to yourself. These little creative anchors make you more resilient at work, not less.
6. Separate Your Identity From Your Job.
When your identity is tied tightly to a job title, every reorg feels like a personal hit. But you’re not just an employee, you’re a whole human with multiple dimensions. When you honor that, the corporate volatility feels less destabilizing.
As we head into another winter season- whether you’re job searching, transitioning, burnt out, or simply tired, I hope you find pockets of rest, clarity, and momentum in your own way. Small steps count. Pauses count. Resetting counts. Do it in a way that strengthens you for whatever comes next.
And if you need help thinking through your next season, I’m here.
If this piece gave you a pause, a plan, or a spark, take it into your own work or life storm — and tell someone about it. We’re all better when the ship keeps moving.