Getting laid off is stressful and even demoralizing,
especially for people with mental disabilities.
Since, I had two months to mentally prepare for my forced vacation I
developed a list that I think anyone who finds themselves in a similar
situation can benefit from. Here’s my
plan of action to keep me sane during this transitional period:
- Take care of necessities right away. On my first day after the layoff I filed for unemployment and medical coverage.
- Update your resume and cover letter ASAP. I have a resume that I use for all jobs and a
few different cover letters that adapt to different job types. For
example, I have four slightly different cover letters that I use when applying
for mortgage, education, non-profit and church positions.
- Find a reason to leave your bed early in the morning. I decided to start my day with daily Mass. At the parish near my home they have a rosary group that meets inside the church right before eight thirty Mass. This gives me a positive reason to start my day.
- Establish a routine. Since I am used to getting up early because I
used to work East Coast hours, I still get up at the same time and walk my
dog. It’s a fun way to sneak in a little
bit of exercise while keeping my dog happy.
- Set a time goal each day to look for work. After Mass I spend four hours looking for work, sending out my resume & establishing connections. Looking for work is a time consuming process.
- Open a LinkedIn account. I am still learning how to use mine, but through it I have access to contacts in various companies and recruiters can also find me there. I have found leads through former coworkers on there.
- Pass your resume along to friends and acquaintances. I sent out my resume to all my classmates from
the classes that I have been taking at the diocese and to all members of my
fraternity.
- Pray and ask others to pray. When I sent my resume to the deacons and my fraternity sisters they all placed me in their prayer intentions. An army of prayer warriors and your own personal petitions will sustain you.
- Have other activities. I have an eBay store where I am selling my
five-inch-heels that I no longer use in addition to the purses I refurbish and collector
items I find when thrifting. I am mostly
selling things that I own and have no need for.
Cleaning out your closet and reselling items can be a great way for some
extra cash.
You can find anything at a thrift store, anyone need a hummer (LOL). - Invest in you. This is a time off when you can dedicate to learn a new skill, workout, develop a hobby, volunteer, take a trip… Life is giving you a time of rest use it wisely.
Last week was my first week off and after taking care of the
necessities, I started with daily Mass and I found that’s the secret to a
healthy start. I have a reason to leave
my bed and after the service I feel so motivated to begin my day. My routine keeps me busy - between prayer, the
job search and my eBay store I have covered the hours I would spend at the
office. Then I add walks with my dog and
a hobby and I barely have any time to think bad thoughts or feel sorry for
myself. Am also thinking in time of
adding an excel class and volunteering visiting patients in hospitals with
Dollar. I look at my days with optimism
because I have created a routine and plan of action that will keep my mind
healthy. The allure of sleeping in and
not doing anything is not a trap to fall into because while it might seem
relaxing, it gets old real fast. Work
sanctifies our day- NOT "getting paid" to do work. Thus, I am really looking forward to this time
and specially of having the holidays off to live them in a different way.
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