5 Tips on How To Move Forward After Being Laid Off

Last month I was part of a mass layoff, and unfortunately, this is not the first time in my career that this has happened. Whenever I am going through this process, having to revise my job profiles, resume, and demo reel is the last thing I want to do because being laid off sucks. Over the past few years, I have developed techniques to help me during these times. Here are five unconventional tips that will focus on the mental aspects of how to move forward after losing your job.

1. Allow yourself to feel the loss.

It is true when they say the people make the company. What disappointed me the most about this layoff was recognizing that I wouldn’t see my coworkers daily. Those first two weeks felt weird, but thankfully there was a Slack created to help each other through this difficult time and share any job postings we came across.

I allowed myself to let it feel weird. I didn’t try to mask it with a positive spin but allowed myself to feel bummed about it. Taking the time allowed me to move forward with my job applications with a clearer mind.

2. Stick to or create a routine.

Along with feeling the job loss, I also felt the loss of my daily routine. I still had a morning routine of going to the gym and making breakfast. Keeping the workout routine helped alleviate some of that stress, but from 9 AM to 5 PM, I didn’t know what to do with my day.

I did take the time to update my resume and apply to jobs but burnt out after roughly five applications. I was thankful to have my partner pushing to make sure I still stuck to the parts of my routine that were still intact. It helped me to not feel disheveled throughout the day.

3. Exercise and eat well.

Exercising and making sure you are eating well is imperative. We all know this. When you are anxious and depressed, you already lack energy, so making sure you eat right and get some movement throughout the day will help combat that.

I have been developing what exercise looks like for me over the past three years. In the morning, I go to the gym to energize me for the day, and if I have the time/energy, midday I enjoy going for a long walk around my neighborhood.

4. Work on a hobby.

Another way I combated stress was to focus on my hobbies. I watched anime, read, played video games, watched youtube, and several films. It got me excited to get up for the day and was one of the ways I filled out my schedule. Engaging in activities that fed me mentally and emotionally eventually got me excited to work on my own personal projects.

5. Talk about it.

As I mentioned earlier, we created a Slack workspace, for which I am so thankful for. Whether you were part of a mass layoff or just laid off individually, it is healthy to talk about it. Find a friend, a fellow coworker, or therapist to help you through it. I did all three, and sharing my feelings allowed me to get clarity on my next steps. There is no shame in hiding the fact that it happened, so going back to tip #1, allow yourself to feel it and let it out!

Hopefully, there are some helpful tips here for anyone in a similar situation. Please feel free to share it and let folks know you are there to chat if they need. Anyone currently applying for a job, I wish you all the best in your journey!

Got any tips, routines, or rituals on how to navigate losing a job? Shoot me an email or message on instagram!