WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE YOUR JOB.

Last week 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits. The Federal Reserve predicts unemployment in the US could reach 32% in the coming year. In contrast, unemployment levels during the great depression hit their height in 1933, at 24.9%. Those numbers are jaw-dropping. It also means that there’s a good chance that you or someone you know may be let go over the next few months. 

Here’s what you need to know to deal with job loss during Covid-19 and beyond.

1. Be prepared to grieve.

Grief from job loss is real — and it can take a hefty emotional toll. Add in the additional stress and social isolation due to Covid-19 and there is a lot to mentally process. 

Remind yourself that you are more than what you do, that you have value even if you’re not working, and that nothing stays the same for long. You will get through this. 

You are a resilient human. 

Many people find it helpful to know that experiencing grief with job loss is normal. 

It is important to actually feel the awful feeling of losing a job. Allow yourself to grieve. Pay attention to what stage of grief you’re in… denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. (You may oscillate between stages too.) 

Being able to label what stage you’re in can help reduce the intensity of the emotions you may be feeling and help to give you a broader perspective of what’s happening. 

Share with family or friends what you’re going through so they can help to support your grief in productive ways. Pretending that everything is fine is not a solution. Don’t try to guard your family from the truth. The longer you delay telling them, the more hurtful the recovery process will be. 

2. Take a few days off.

Allow yourself a few days to take in the shock of being laid off. Looking for a new job can take time. On average, it takes between 40-76 days to find a new position. Try not to panic — remember you will get through this and you will find work. If you haven’t allowed yourself the time to “get your head right” you’re bound to run into feelings of hopelessness or come off angry or disgruntled in an interview to a potential new employer. 

Don’t try to “fix” the situation by pulling an all-nighter to update your resume or LinkedIn profile. Take a moment to pause.

3. Tell your story.

Sharing your story is a vital part of the healing process. Share with your friends and family what has happened. Allow your family (and specifically your partner) to grieve your loss as well and note that they may be in different stages of grief than you. 

Many successful individuals have been thrown a curve-ball by life and ended up in a better position because of it. Remind yourself that only part of the story has been told. How the story proceeds has many different endings and those endings depend on the direction and perspective you want to take.

Grieve, but don’t allow yourself to become a victim or dwell in negative fantasies about the future. This also doesn’t mean you need to have false optimism about things. Allow yourself to live in ambiguity for a bit. Focus on the things that you do have control over. 

4. Support your mental & physical health with healthy habits. 

One of the best ways to invest your time when you’ve been laid-off is promoting good mental and physical health. Science shows that self-care not only helps us relieve stress, but gives us more mental energy, clarity, and stamina. Yet, when you’re feeling stressed, self-care is often the first thing that we let slide. 

Make sure you get plenty of sleep — you may even find you need more sleep than normal as your brain processes emotional trauma of losing your job while you sleep. Move your body. Go for walks. Eat healthy. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Get outside. Spend time with friends — even if that means zoom calls and phone calls. Do things that make you happy. Listen to your favorite music. Get an an adult coloring book and allow yourself to zone out for a bit — art therapy is real. 

Avoid using self-care as a “reward”. Start your morning with self-care and you’ll soak in the benefits all day long.  Avoid over indulging in sweets, caffeine, alcohol, or any other activity that may actually make you feel worse in the long-run.

5. Start a mindfulness practice.

Applying for jobs can take a mental toll. There’s a good chance you’ll apply to multiple positions before you find the perfect fit — for you and your future employer. Having a mindfulness practice can help you increase your resiliency to rejection without losing stamina or sight of your personal value. 

Practicing for just two minutes everyday for 21 days has been proven to boost moods and decrease feelings of anxiety and depression. Meditation helps to strengthen your awareness, ability to focus, creativity and productivity. Skills that are useful during all periods of our lives and especially when stress levels are high.

6. Create structure in your day. 

Work creates a lot of structure in how you organize your day. Try to create a normal routine. Get up at a similar time (or maybe sleep in an hour) and go to bed at a similar time. Take a shower, do your hair, put on something other than yoga pants or sweat pants.

Schedule your self-care practices to happen throughout the day. Maybe it’s a gratitude practice after breakfast, a 15-30 minute walk after lunch, and a bike ride after “work hours”. 

Allow yourself some flexibility. You don’t want to get burned out on job searching all-day everyday. If you find yourself feeling stuck on an application or feeling low, reach for a healthy habits to help boost your mood and your productivity. Exercise, do something fun, get outside, reach out to your friends. 

7. Get your finances in order.

Financial stress can feel debilitating. Not knowing what your real financial situation is much more scary than actually laying out the numbers. Go through your bank and credit card statements. Make a list of bills coming up. Put any unnecessary purchases on pause. Research your unemployment benefits and apply. 

Take inventory of what your monthly expenses are and make a budget for the next few months. Make a list of any un-needed subscriptions, contact them and unsubscribe. 

Contact your landlord or mortgage company and let them know what’s happened. Be sure to mention Covid-19 as the instigator of your financial woes as some institutions aren’t able to offer specific Covid-19 support unless you mention it.

Avoid making any dramatic pulls from investment account or 401-K accounts. Talk to a certified financial planner and understand your options. 

8. Reframe your story. 

Start to reframe your story. Covid-19 wasn’t your fault, your being laid-off wasn’t a personal attack, and you are not a helpless victim. 

You cannot change the past. You can only change your reaction to it. Position your layoff as a minor setback that allowed you an opportunity to spring into a new role that you may not have otherwise looked for. 

You are resilient. You will find a great position. 

9. Make a list of the things that you’re looking for in a new job.

Be specific about what you’re looking for a in a new position. This will help to focus your energy as you review your job prospects and make it easier to explain why you want and would be perfect candidate for the position you’re applying for.

10. Check your ego.

According to an article by the Atlantic, the 47% of American’s would have trouble coming up with $400 in an emergency. Keep your eyes fixed on finding that dream position. Meanwhile, there is nothing wrong with taking a job that helps to improve your financial situation, now. 

Check your ego. Make sure you’re not exasperating your stress — or the stress of your family members— by being unwilling to take a position that is “beneath you” or your typical composition expectations.

11. Create Systems.

Based on the positions you’re looking to apply to, I can be helpful to create 2 or 3 templates of your resume and cover letter. You can then tweak these to specifically align to the position you’re applying for, which will help you be more efficient with your time.

Create a list of common interview questions and write out your responses. As you prepare for interviews you can reference your answers and adjust responses based on the positions needs.

12. Slow and steady.

Apply for only two or three jobs a day. This allows you to make time for self-care and put the necessary effort into your applications without feeling burned out. Update your social media accounts. Reach out to friends, family, and old colleagues. Share the types of roles you’re looking for, but that you would be open to other opportunities. Include your resume. 

13. Practice self-compassion. 

Speak kindly to yourself. If you don’t get two or three applications out one day, don’t try to double up the next. You are doing enough. If you’re feeling sad or angry — that’s okay. Allow yourself to feel those emotions. Return to your self-care practices. 

Research shows we bounce back a lot faster under words of encouragement rather than criticism. Remember slow and steady.

14. You are not alone. Seek professional help.

Asking for help is a sign of strength. This is not a normal situation. Most of us have never experienced a pandemic. Your mental health is important — to you, to your family and friends, to your ability to land a new position.

If you find yourself stuck in anxiety or overwhelmed by stress. Seek professional help.  Many therapists offer sliding scales for their clients. Your situation may be unique, but they have tools and resources you may not have thought of. They can help you. 

Check out more mindful living articles.