#LeavingWell: Navigating Job Loss
Navigating the loss of a job, being fired from employment, being laid off, or in any way suddenly dealing with the loss of income (and benefits) can bring up an immense spectrum of emotions. Because we don’t normalize talking about these emotions, we perpetuate and further harm from the experience.
You may feel depressed and disappointed. You may have intense worry, fear, or grief. You may also feel a sense of failure, confusion, and anger. All of them are valid! In addition to the emotions, it’s common and normal to experience a loss of defining traits and identity you associated with your job or role.
Use the following list as a set of riverbanks to help you navigate through this period in your life, and also to assist you in communicating this situation with your family and those who love you.
Expect:
That it will feel strange to talk about what happened, and may take some time to put words to your experience.
It may feel like a loss that you feel grief over
Disruption to your routine (especially if sharing living space with others) as you shift temporarily to not keeping the same schedule.
That some days you will feel better than others.
To feel conflicted about how you feel about your former employer.
Do:
Take every opportunity (as long as you have the energy for it) to network and place yourself in situations where you might meet people outside your typical groups and networks.
If you feel safe doing so, be encouraged to share your situation with everyone you can think of! When you #LeaveWell, it’s encouraged to let folks know that you are in the market to look for new opportunities.
Suit up! You may not feel like doing basic things such as taking a shower or eating well, but notice how you may feel different when you choose to “dress for the day” as you used to.
Rituals are healing. Give yourself as many days as you need, to process the loss of your job. When you’re ready, mimic and recreate your typical pre-work rituals. Make coffee, or listen to a podcast episode as you get dressed. Mark the halfway point in your day, by breaking for a meal, etc.
Exercise, Food, and Fresh Air. This seems obvious, but don’t forget to eat, move your body and get as much fresh air as possible while you’re navigating this next phase in your life.
Pause and affirm the amazing accomplishments you had from your job and role. Note them down. Capture the things you are proud of from your time there. Write a list of the things you achieved and the impact you had.
Do not:
Stay quiet about how you are feeling. Utilize your EAP benefits to invite support from professionals, or choose a few trusted friends to share your emotions and challenges.
Blame or shame yourself for this situation.
While you may feel stressed or uneasy about finances, do not make drastic financial decisions (and be cautious of opening credit lines)
While it might feel like a good idea to take on new volunteering opportunities, make sure to check in with yourself before saying yes to new uses of your time. Guard your time wisely and ensure you are fully able and willing to say yes (and commit) to any new obligations.
Take every opportunity to:
Explore the things that often fall to the bottom of your priority list (new coffee shop to try out? Purging the hall closet? Reading a book from your nightstand?)
Review finances and budgets with those whom you share financial decisions with.
Consider - for a short-term - sharing in tasks like absorbing housework / household chores from other household members.
Open communication with family and loved ones (if there are children in your house, consider what level of honesty can be shared with them, so they do not feel left in the dark).
Reinforcement of skills / talents - this is an amazing time to reach out to your friends and networks to ask them to affirm the top skills and talents you have, or to share with you the things they most appreciate or respect about you.
Take control back by updating your resume, and be sure to gather the list of accomplishments from your most recent job to include in the refresh.
I am happy to offer transition support through my #LeavingWell consulting practice, and invite you to reach out to me to see if these services may be of help to you or a loved one.
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For the other articles on #LeavingWell: Leaving Well blog posts
Additional recommended resources: