Open AccessAdapting to change: How has COVID-19 affected people’s work and personal goals?
Author(s) -
Laura M. Vowels,
Rachel R. R. Francois-Walcott,
Katherine B. Carnelley,
Emily L Checksfield
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0262195
Subject(s) - postponement , work (physics) , adaptation (eye) , covid-19 , pandemic , personal protective equipment , psychology , public relations , applied psychology , business , marketing , medicine , political science , mechanical engineering , disease , pathology , neuroscience , virology , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty) , engineering
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the global economy and affected millions of people’s work and personal lives across the world. The purpose of the present study was to better understand how individuals’ work and personal goals have been affected by the pandemic and how they have adapted to these changes. We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews ( n = 48) and surveyed participants ( n = 200) weekly for 5 weeks. Both methods revealed similar themes regarding the adaptation and pursuit of goals (social support, handling unpredictable situations, logistics, solving problems creatively, goal postponement, and no changes). Survey responses also showed that most individuals experienced their goals as more difficult (79%; 13% easier; 9% no change) and found that many had had to adapt or postpone their work and personal goals, often due to logistical difficulties. Businesses and governments should do more to help individuals adapt their goals to the new circumstances.