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It is an open secret that we cannot control other people’s behaviour. Nor can we influence all the outcomes of the outside world.

As a result, this means that our lives might turn out in unexpected ways. And it is okay if that happens. However, there is one thing that nothing and no person can take away from us: the ability to choose how we can perceive and respond to the situations that happen in our lives.

At the heart of our freedom also exists the power to direct positive change.

That’s why it’s important to protect any kind of personal freedom by making accountability a top priority.

Here’s how taking responsibility can look like, in a nutshell:

• Be self-reliant.
• Acknowledge your mistakes.
• Make time to self-reflect.
• Keep the promises you make to other people.
• Lead with empathy. Propose solutions that benefit other people.
• Never look for people to blame when things go unfavourably. 
• Be honest with yourself first, and living truthfully with others will follow.

The socio-economic challenges that have challenged South Africa (more so after the coronavirus epidemic’s initial spread in 2020) have been difficult to bear.

Businesses have had to close their doors. Employees from a variety of industries have been laid off. The high rate of unemployment is slowly becoming a long-standing national toothache. And the increase in the petrol price within a timeframe of three years (from 2019) has placed further pressure on the economy.

In yesteryear, the plight of the youth of 1976 was largely a political one. People lived within oppressive government systems. For example, Bantu Education forced the use of Afrikaans as lingua franca at all school levels, for all subjects. It was a system designed to segregate, maintain inequality and stifle large groups of people, especially people of colour.

Perhaps, the above-mentioned challenges might be an opportunity to take personal and collective responsibility that will help create the necessary solutions. 

It’s important that in the midst of challenges, we are able to direct attention toward the advantages that we do have. 

For this article, we have broken up the ways in which we can take accountability in our lives into three segments.

Let’s go through each one:

1. PERSONAL

Beware of running towards excuses when life goes wrong

A common tell-tale sign of an irresponsible person is that they focus their minds on finding excuses to defend themselves. 

It’s important to continuously self-check. To look at your life and your behaviour with fair eyes and see the truth. And when you find that truth, say it out loud – even if it goes against you. 

Taking accountability is an act of courage and growth. When you openly admit your mistakes, you become free from the habit of making excuses.

Dedicate time for self-reflection

The first step to taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions is becoming more self-aware.

When you analyse your behaviour, it allows you to develop a strong sense of self. You gain balance because you can stop yourself from falling into bad habits. With a clear understanding of your thoughts and actions, you’ll better understand the behavioural patterns that lie behind your actions. 

One way to build a space for self-reflection is to keep a journal. Write about your daily experiences, thoughts and ideas. 

A consistent writing habit will allow you deep insight into yourself. The more you write, the more you will have information to refer back to. Self-reflection offers you an opportunity to study your own habits and take note of the recurring patterns.

2. PROFESSIONAL

Be proactive and offer solutions to collective challenges

For example, when a classmate is struggling to understand and ace a few of the modules you’re studying, take time to offer them assistance.

Being proactive is an advantageous habit. With consistent practice, it allows you to easily connect the dots between ideas, people and information. 

However, in being accountable, you can a more proactive approach by correcting poor behaviour and making better decisions.

Armed with an accountability mindset, you can easily choose to take actions that correct poor behaviour and help you and other people make better decisions.

Openly admit your faults

When things go wrong, lean towards taking your fair share of criticism.

It’s better when the hard-to-swallow truths come from your own reflection. And even when someone else points out your flaws, you’d have built a patient ear to find something to learn from feedback instead of turning to defensive mode.  

Here’s another hack: Practice empathy. 

Oftentimes, our mistakes might affect a larger number of people, other than the ones in our immediate circle. In a professional environment, where people work within teams, it’s important to recognize the amount of pain and inconvenience our actions cause. 

3. POLITICAL

On the political and student leadership front, it’s always a wise choice to sharpen your governance skills.

For instance, the ability to build healthy relationships and lead groups of people are lifelong skills that will serve you well at school and in the workplace.

Many concepts that are associated with the word political are instantly treated with suspicion. However, when used wisely, the decision to develop your political awareness can be the start of positive change in your life.

Political skills can be defined as the competence that helps people build valuable social networks, lobby and influence others, demonstrate great social etiquette, pay attention to detail and be sincere in dealings with other people.

If there’s anything we can take away, let it be this idea: when we avoid blame and never acknowledge our mistakes, we miss out on countless opportunities to grow.

We all know that undertaking extracurricular activities such as Leadership is a great way to develop communication skills, teamwork, and time management skills. Therefore, a good balance between academics and your responsibilities could see you develop into a well-rounded successful student.

However, balancing academics and extracurricular activities is often challenging for students. And this is because most choose to focus more on either one of them while neglecting the other. An imbalance causes poor performance in one area but can lead to stress and anxiety in both, because of the realization that you’re failing in the other department.

These are some of the ways to help you balance better:

Choose your Leadership role wisely

When we spoke about pursuing Leadership, we spoke about choosing a responsibility that is flexible for one’s time commitment. The perfect fit is not always the easiest, rather take time to explore the extracurricular activities available to you and what you could gain from each one of them. When choosing, consider the time commitment required, your capacity, and your schedule.

Manage your time

Plan, plan and plan ahead. The best thing you can do for yourself is to create a priority list that will include both academics and extracurricular activities. Thereafter plan what needs to be done and by when it needs to be completed. Most importantly, prioritize rest. Burnout is real and you don’t want to see yourself burning out due to overworking.

Be honest with yourself – review and reflect

It’s okay to have a go at something and realize it’s not working and therefore try and find a solution. For instance, if you find that you were too ambitious and unrealistic regarding the amount of time you have, give honest feedback regarding your academics and extracurricular activities. Go back to your plan and don’t be afraid to say no when you can’t handle an extra activity no matter how much you want to.

Ask for help

Contrary to popular belief, asking for help is not an admission of weakness. In fact, it takes much maturity to admit to yourself, that you’ve tried doing it alone and you need fellow students, friends, and family to help you. Asking for help could be asking your friends to take notes for you, and get into study group sessions.

Another thing that most people overlook is having an accountability partner. Accountability partners are important because they can help you keep in check whether you’re keeping up with your tasks.

Have the right attitude

Most importantly, it is essential to believe that you can manage your time and be optimistic. Push yourself rather than giving up most activities without exploring. Procrastination and pessimism are the biggest hurdles to becoming effective at time management.

Prioritize your health

I know that in between lectures and attending meetings, it can be easier to eat on the go and grab the unhealthiest meals. But it’s important to remember to eat well, exercise regularly, and be sure to get a good night’s sleep.

Skills that were in demand in a pre-coronavirus world were already changing, but the pandemic has accelerated the rapidity. Whether fortunate or unfortunate, it is extremely unlikely that the world of working as we know it will go back to “normal”. Instead, we have to adjust to a new normal. How workplaces operate and the most in-demand skills are likely to transform as well.  In other words, some skills will become more relevant while others will have to be reimagined or worst-case scenarios, become redundant.

Are you wondering whether there will be any job opportunities post the pandemic?  Well, we are here to motivate you and give you some good news (see our post of top emerging jobs) as we prepare to resume more economic activity in the country. We have already explored careers that are emerging but it’s also worth noting which skills will be highly sought after and relevant post the lockdown and COVID19 pandemic in its entirety. The following skills are likely to be in demand in a post-coronavirus world:

Digital and coding skills

Many organisations were propelled to become more dependent on digitization because of remote working. Therefore candidates with digital skills including coding, web development, digital marketing, and analytics will become more relevant now more than ever. People who can keep the day to day operations of the business thriving post lockdown, during a pandemic or working from home will be a must hire and have a definite upper hand.

 Tech savviness

Acquiring technical skills and becoming comfortable with these tools will become extremely important post the pandemic. This will include obtaining skills that can help companies build resilience during outbreaks or any unforeseeable disruptions. These technologies can include artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, the Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality.

Critical thinking

We have seen the damage that the spread of misinformation and disinformation can do. COVID19 has proved the significance of having employees that have great thinking skills. Not only does this help decipher what is true or not, but with a great pool of information out there, it will become extremely critical to have individuals who can help debunk what information should inform decision making and the next steps during times of uncertainty. 

Adaptability and flexibility

As already mentioned, the world is changing, and being able to adapt will be inevitable. A good candidate will have to continuously learn to adapt to a continuously evolving world of work. Employees will be inclined to hire candidates who they can trust will be flexible enough to upskill themselves to fit with the demands of an evolving world should times of uncertainty arise.

Creativity and Innovation

The pandemic has shown us how important business being able to deliver services virtually is key. In a post-coronavirus world, this will require individuals who can invent and create products to adapt to a new way of working.

Leadership

This skill seems very obvious and thus easily forgotten. Professionals who can display leadership qualities are extremely critical because the post coronavirus world of work will probably mean an increase in remote working. Therefore, people being able to lead fluid teams and team members leading themselves will be highly encouraged. Leaders who can inspire teams and remain focused during times of uncertainty, anxiety, and disruption of productivity will be in demand.

Some of these skills were already standard for other industries. Economic trends show us that due to the impact of the lockdown, these skills will be greatly emphasized by recruiters. According to the World Economic Forum, in the next five years, 35% of skills that are deemed as essential today will change. The only way to survive and succeed in a post-coronavirus world of work is committing to upskilling and reskilling yourself. The good news is that multiple free open online courses can help you improve your skills. Grab the opportunity and advance yourself in expert skills.