I bet you thought we’d never hear that word again: unprecedented.

Even typing it now has sent me back to the days of hoarding toilet paper and crafting makeshift masks out of bandanas. But these “unprecedented times” are back to haunt us yet again. At least, if you work in entertainment.

I am in awe of this difficult, yet necessary step the actors and writers have undertaken to ensure the future of this industry. One that includes fair compensation, protections, and expectations for all artists. And I know how daunting this strike can be.

While I can’t speed things up, I thought I could at least share my advice on what you can do to maintain momentum in your career while things are slow.

Use This Time as Your Quarantine Do-Over

Remember the ambitious plans you had during the 2020 lockdown? The projects you wanted to complete, the skills you wished to learn, but somehow never managed to?

Use this time to evaluate why those ideas remained unrealized. Were they too ambitious? Did procrastination set in? Or perhaps you were unsure where to begin?

You don’t need to return to your old quarantine-era goals. The important thing here is just to use your past failures as a guide. Let them shape what new goals you make during this industry interruption and how you go after achieving them.

Perhaps you’ll revamp your social media. Or perfect a second language. Take new headshots and revise your reel, nobody better than Marc D’Amour. Dive into self-help literature like Malcolm Gladwell’s meditations on what it means to reach your “pinnacle” in Outliers.

The key to utilizing this time wisely is making sure everything is in place when the strike ceases. Thus, the momentum continues.

Create Small for a Big Impact

With the SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, independent features and short-form productions are still possible with proper documentation.

Consider the benefits of creating something smaller:

• • If you’ve ever considered branching out into screenwriting, directing, or another production role, this could be your opportunity to explore in a low-stakes environment.

• • You have the creative liberty of creating ANYTHING you can imagine. A thriller set in a kindergarten classroom? Possible. A comedy about a mortician? Do-able. A romance between a gardener and an arsonist? Odd, but I can picture it. You can do anything you set your mind to.

• • People have more time NOW: Don’t bank on future attention. They won’t necessarily have that time to watch your indie feature film when it’s finally done 3 years from now. You have a better chance of getting industry professionals to see your web series, viral video, or even see you perform live.

Look for Ways to Help

It’s easy to feel down or unfulfilled when you’re unable to do the thing you love. A good way to find purpose and renew your self-worth is by giving back to the community around you – both in and outside of entertainment.

At this very moment, the picket lines are flooded with fellow actors, writers, and other creative professionals showing solidarity. It’s a common space of shared concern, where you will certainly meet people you may connect with long past the strike.

But please, don’t be a vulture. Approach these interactions as genuine conversations, not transactions. The picket line is not a networking mixer.

Instead, look for ways to lend a hand. Offer your skills, your empathy, and your time (while you still have some). Whether someone could use some help on a project or the expertise you have from your survival job, there is always value in helping others.

These connections, founded on genuine collaboration and support, will be the ones that matter to you years from now when the strike is just a memory.

You’ll Get Through This

All that to say… In this unique time, or should I say “unprecedented time,” the opportunity for growth is not only possible in your career but also in your community. The industry may have paused, but your creativity, your connections, and your impact don’t have to. This is a moment not just for reflection but for action, empathy, and evolution.

Trust me, I know it’s not easy. Back when I started my career in management in the early 90s, the term management was still ambiguous. There were few managers and even fewer management companies. The only steadfast rule was that managers were not allowed to procure employment. So, we had to find different ways to become an asset to our clients.

Hunting for material, exciting IP, and projects with SAG waivers, keeping the whole team updated up to the minute, sharing intriguing and motivational articles from unique sources (DenseDiscovery is a recent favorite), these are some of the many ways I try to add value beyond the typical manager role.

In a way, I feel I’ve been performing my job as if we’ve been in a strike all along. The strike, which I’d clearly like to see end, doesn’t make me feel as if I have less work than before. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that I keep my clients’ wheels rolling smoothly, sustain their momentum, and pave the way to hit the ground running when it’s over.

There are no coincidences in life. Success will not just be thrust upon you when the picket lines dissolve. So seize the moment today. Make the active choice to transform an otherwise frustrating situation into a springboard for your next chapter.