The new situation has left many of you concerned for your jobs, struggling to balance work and life, feeling disconnected from your partners, finding it harder to get work, and left you generally feeling unmoored. Here’s what associates like you are struggling with personally and professionally, and what you should be doing now in light of the current situation.

Professionally

Build professional relationships: Outside of your actual job, the number one thing you should be doing for your career is building your professional relationships. When working remotely it’s harder to stay connected, remain visible, and show your value. Reach out to partners, more experienced associates, and connections. Reaching out isn’t bothering people! If one of your connections or a partner reached out to see how you were doing, would you feel like they were bothering you?

Get to know your supervising partner on a personal and professional level. Ask partners how they would like to communicate. Some will prefer email, phone, or text. Make a note of their preference in your contact database. Find out how frequently they would like you to check-in. A simple conversation might start like this: “When we were together it was easy to ‘pop-in’ and give you an update or ask a quick question. How often would you like to touch-base while we are working from home?” Remember, supervising a remote team may be new for them too. Most lawyers aren’t trained managers and leaders. It might not occur to your partner that you need more direction and interaction.

Your colleagues have goals just like you do. It’s important to understand their goals and help accomplish them. While some partners will just be happy to maintain relationships during a crisis, some will want to position themselves to act. If you understand what’s important to the other person, you will be able to look for ways to help them succeed.

Showing your value: Right now you might be finding it harder to get work…and maybe your partner is too. Ask them. Open the discussion. Your partner is worried like you. Ask what you can do that might be helpful and suggest an option or two…don’t just leave it up to them to figure out. Maybe you can write a blog post, curate content, or research a potential client. You are either working or looking for work for the firm.

Meanwhile, keep track of what you’ve done and report back, volunteer, and take initiative. It’s as simple as asking, “Would you like me to take a run at it?” Check-back and ensure it’s heading in the right direction. Ask for feedback. Great feedback is part of building a relationship. It shows your willingness to learn. You can ask, “Is there something that I should do differently next time?”

Don’t just focus on meeting the partners. You need to know your marketer, business development manager, firm administrator, professional development manager, receptionist, and other business professionals in your firm…and they need to know you. These are the connectors and advocates who suggest your name for projects, pitches, and teams. These are the people who tell everyone that you’re wonderful and keep you visible. Don’t underestimate them. They may not be lawyers, but they are influential. Word to the wise, they hate being called “non-lawyers”. No one likes being called a “non-anything”. Call them what they are…business professionals.

Get and stay visible: Gone are the days when you could work hard, do good work, keep your head down and expect a positive outcome. You can’t just be good at your core skill. Early in your career, a large portion of your success depends upon your interpersonal and business development skills (the ability to source, grow, and maintain professional relationships). Have you lost contact with college peers? Now’s a great time to get back in-touch. Spruce up your LinkedIn profile, and strategically use social media to stay connected. Identify gaps in your network. From what you’ve seen thus far, who do you need to know? It takes time to build relationships – start now.

Personally

Focus & Prioritize: It’s harder to stay focused and prioritize when there are so many other things pulling on your attention – at home, when working, and on the news. You must be intentional about what’s important and schedule it. Schedule time to clean, cook, exercise, and work. Schedule time for your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Make a list of the things that matter to you and put it on the calendar. Barring an emergency or hard-deadline, schedule when the workday starts and ends, but don’t try to stick to your old routine – you’re in a new situation. Develop a new routine.

Balancing Work and Life: When you work from home, it’s tempting to handle things all the time. There isn’t a clear delineation of your day unless you create one. Make the week…end. It’s alright to spend a little time working on the weekend if you’ll feel caught up and thus refreshed, but take time off to recharge and build relationships with those around you. Structure your work to fit your most productive times if that works for your supervising partner and household relationships, but make sure you take a real break. Don’t forget to invest in your personal relationships. Talk to your parents and if you’re lucky, your grandparents. This age group isn’t as connected online and may welcome the chance to chat.

If you’re feeling anxious, get a little distance from the constant stream of things that cause you anxiety. If you want to stay informed of the latest happenings, then pick a time of day to check the news that will least disrupt your work and your sleep.

Things may not be the same, but they will go back to normal – albeit it might be a new normal. Will you be positioned to succeed?