I was asked to move on by my company right after the pandemic broke off. None of the companies had begun the layoff phenomenon but there I was, caught myself in uncharted waters of the pandemic, with no backup plan for my future.
I couldn’t tell my parents who believed that their daughter is finally capable of standing on her own and neither my sister. I kept it to myself and each day from dawn to dusk I sat in front of my laptop pretending to do work, saving each penny I had from my last drawn salary, cursing myself.
But what made the case worst was me not being able to crack a single interview I had after the layoff. Each one had their own reasons and excuses for rejection. The more I got rejected, the more anxious I became. Slowly it made me an insomniac; silent and lonely. And as it was getting worse, I found my way out of it. A way out of the post-layoff trauma to being more creative and amusing in my days.
I know there are many stories out there that resonates with mine. But time has come to keep ourselves out from the Kubler-Ross field and armor ourselves with positive vibes and little surprises.
Here are a few things that have helped me to get by the trauma and I am happy to list them out for you too:
1. Count on your constant support systems
Unexpectedly losing your job can be stressful. Especially if you’re the family provider.
It was for me too. But as my mental condition got worsened, I opened up to my parents and friends about the layoff. They accepted it with all their hearts and then on had always kept me in under their comfort wings throughout that had definitely made things much easier.
Some factors that would never change or leave your life are your family and inner circle of friends. Explain the situation calmly to them. Give them time to get hold of what happened. Because in the end you might need their love and support to get yourself out of the trauma, to rebuild yourself.
2. Find solace in doing things that you always loved
You would have left behind doing many things that you had loved in the middle of the rat race. This is the time for you to brace up and do them.
I had always loved filming documentaries and clicking photographs. But for the past few months, I haven’t even felt like opening my camera to click a photograph, being caught in the middle of busy schedules of work. But lately, I have been keeping myself occupied writing scripts, shooting short documentaries and experimenting frames that I had never done before. They are keeping me on my toes.
Grab that book you have always wanted to read, listen to that podcast which you have skipped because of the deadlines, plant that orchid you had always longed for; keep yourself occupied with things that you love to do.
3. Take your time off from hasty job hunts
You might be desperate to hook on to the next possible job out there that you could get. But, pause. Take a deep breath.
I was so eager to grab the next job so as to keep my family off from the harsh truth. But the more prompt I became, I let loopholes in my resume which I realized later in the process.
Unhinge yourself completely and retrospect your journey so far. Find the greatest achievements you had accomplished and celebrate them. Feel happy for yourself. Take your time to put forth an unshakable resume that would prove who you are. And then be targeted at what you want from your networks.
In the end all that matters are your health and mental well-being. Focus on activities that will boost your morale and energy. Be it dancing to the acoustic blues or playing with your bichon frise. Things are definitely going to whirl in your favor. Till then keep up your spirits and let your energy clock ticking. If it’s not happy, then it’s not the end.