How being in the UAE during the pandemic helped me find my purpose amidst chaos

Then, following a surprise, financially-driven redundancy in January 2021, after the initial shock and confusion wore off, I finally conquered my fears. I walked away from 18 years of corporate employment, and I found the courage to start my public relations consultancy specialising in luxury travel, lifestyle and hospitality PR and communications.

Being based in the entrepreneurial and business-friendly city that is Dubai has been an enormous blessing. Here I found myself joining more than 60,000 companies registered in the UAE’s free zones as of February 2021. Despite the pandemic, this number has grown by more than 4 percent year on year, especially following the country’s change in company ownership laws.

I signed my first contract with a client the same day I received my company license; the digital ink was not even dry. This is how easy it is to thrive in this country. It was so fitting that my first client is also a UAE-grown brand that I am beyond enthusiastic about launching in a few weeks.

While many companies have been quick to slash PR, marketing and advertising budgets citing turbulent times, experienced leaders understand that these activities should not stop amid crisis; they should simply transform and adapt so the brand can stay relevant. In our cluttered world, it is more vital than ever to have a coherent content strategy in place. Maintaining visibility is crucial ahead of the inevitable global recovery.

While job loss is painful and often unexpected, there is a silver lining to having the chance to refocus on new professional prospects, instead of wasting time and energy dwelling on circumstances that can’t be controlled.

Take time to mourn your loss, but then move on

Upon hearing the rehearsed line of “unfortunately due to the financial situation and the effects of the pandemic, your position has been made redundant”, a fast train full of thoughts ran through my head. I was suddenly thinking of all the projects I’d never finish, meetings I can no longer attend and most of all, colleagues I was going to miss.

I felt a weird sense of emptiness, a loss of identity. Who am I without the high demanding job that ruled my life for seven years? But after the grief cloud passed, this loss presented an opportunity for me to reconnect with my professional passion.

Keep a routine

I was no longer rushing to meetings, obsessively checking emails, or frantically trying to meet a gazillion deadlines at once. It would have been easy to slip into a black hole of sleeping until noon and living in my PJs. I kept my routine of rising at 6 am, catching up on the news, and planning my day meticulously. I even maintained my compulsive calendar habit and logged everything I had to do each day, from grocery shopping to nail appointments. I kept my days busy and my head clear.

Don’t jump at the first job offer

While it’s easy to panic when you’ve sent out your resume for the 100th time, been professionally ghosted (apparently it’s a thing now) and received few calls for interviews, getting trapped in the wrong job out of desperation is not the answer. There’s no better time to be honest with yourself, reassess your priorities, get in touch with your values, and rediscover your interests.

Don’t be ruled by shame

Try not to hide at home, shutting out the rest of the world. Remain connected and informed. Research the unmet needs of the market. Being on the client-side for all of my professional career, I knew exactly what the market lacked in terms of agencies. I knew the pains and concerns, so I evaluated what needs to be done differently, and I used that knowledge to ensure I was filling the gap.

Believe in you

Losing the security blanket of a full-time job is stressful, but it can also be a blessing. Trust in your talent, and if you think you need improvement in a specific area or need to learn a new skill set, sign up for an online class, keep busy, maintain a sharp mind, and stay in touch with your industry news and happenings.

Believe that this situation doesn’t define your worth

Do not view yourself as a victim or think of your job loss as “the end of the world.” Stop thinking about the job just lost and think about the job you want to move on to. These are challenging times indeed. However, the reality is that now more than ever before, organisations are seeking out the best talent.

It is ok to ask for help

Having been in the Middle East for more than 13 years, first in Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE now since 2016, and after managing a diverse region that spread across the Middle East, India, Europe and the Americas, I have made quite a few relationships that transcended mere business and have blossomed into genuine friendships. These friends have all said almost in unison, “Tell us how we can help.” Use your connections to find your next role. It is almost always about who you know.

Never say never

I was never one of those people who dreamed of starting their own business. People always told me, “You should use your talents for yourself,” and “Why are you working for others?” I used to smile and say, “It’s just not for me!” It took a global pandemic to prove that I was wrong about that.

In the end, I made the most wonderful discovery; what I love is not the corporate spiel; it’s brainstorming with my team, the joy of watching a business blossom, and being part of a company’s success. I have come to realise that I can still do all that and more, except now I have lunch with my ex-colleagues to talk about things other than work, and I get to help more businesses prosper.

Ruwaida Abela, Managing Partner at JRN Consultancy.