How to deal with the loss of your job and to move forward
Lay-offs – How to deal with the loss of your job and to move forward
There has been news going around about layoffs happening in your company. And one day it has happened to you. You were in shock initially, and later angry about it, raged inside and now you know that it can’t be reversed and it is the inevitable reality that you have to go through.
You might be feeling stressed out and it would be a difficult situation but it is possible for you to come out with flying colors if you handle the situation and yourself effectively.
What to do when your job is at threat or you have lost your job.
1. Observe your thoughts:
Dont keep predicting the future and imagine the worst consequences. Observe your self talk and thoughts. Negative self talk – where you beat yourself up and tell yourself that you are useless and not good enough can be more damaging to your self esteem. And a lowered self esteem brings down your morale and motivation, bringing about more negative thoughts and you might end up in a vicious cycle. Observe the questions that you ask yourself that dont have a rational answer, like – why me?
2. Manage your emotions:
It is normal to feel sad and upset about the current situation that you are in. You might even feel angry and frustrated. You don’t have to deny those emotions. at the same time you don’t have to engage with them and grow them out of proportion and act out. These are your emotions, but your emotions are not you. Use this time to rejuvenate and replenish yourself. It can be a nice vacation in an exotic place but does not necessarily need to be. An hours visit to a nice Spa can also help you feel better and lower your stress levels or go to a green park early in the morning and be with nature.
3. Gain Perspective:
The meaning and synonyms of Perspective are – point of view, position, angle, frame of reference, context etc. To gain perspective is to be able to see the situation/problem from a different point of view / different angle / different frame of reference. To be able to ask yourself what should I gain out of this situation, what can I learn from this situation, what could be the meaning of this situation that will help me, what perspective will help me right now ? A change in your perspective will change your thoughts about it, the emotions that you feel regarding the same, in turn will affect the actions that you take.
Man is not affected by events but by the views he takes of them – Epictetus. You change the view, your emotions change and so will your actions.
4. Manage your finances:
Make a clear assessment of your current finances, and your liabilities. Make a plan to handle the bills and the EMIs. If you have an emergency fund, plan your expenses accordingly. Try to cut off any unnecessary expenses that can be avoided. Get an understanding on how long you can hold out on your savings and emergency funds. this can help you not panic and plan for any skill upgrades that may be required.
5. Upgrade Skills and leverage your Network:
Remember you still have your skills – and Understanding your gaps in skills gives you an opportunity to address those gaps. May be you can get some additional training on new skills. Assess your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT Analysis). Get support from your family and friends. Go back to your networks. Social networking is not just to show of your pictures, but to get support. Reach out to your professional contacts.
6. Also remember what not to do:
Don’t bad mouth your colleagues or your bosses to any one, most importantly to your new employer. Saying the wrong thing to a wrong person can make things even more difficult to you. And don’t make false claims in your new Resume. Companies do check the background and verify the details your provide. And don’t fall into the hands of scammers who might promise you a job in a MNC for a sum of money.
Talk to a counsellor if you feel you need additional emotional support and to get more clarity so that you can act affirmatively to address your situation. And If you are feeling depressed or anxious for more than a few weeks, seek support at the earliest.
We provide professional and confidential counselling services in Bangalore. To know more about us or to fix an appointment you can contact us through:
Phone : +91 9632146316
or Email us at : counselor@innerdawn.in