How to use Time during a Layoff
Being laid off can be an emotionally trying time for many, but there are ways to use your time off wisely to minimize the effects. There are many things you can do to enhance both your professional and personal life that will help ease the stress of being unemployed.The first, and for some the hardest thing, is to start looking for other employment. It may seem like a negative thing, and it is in many respects, but being laid off might open some doors for you that were not open in your previous job. You now have the freedom to explore careers that might be a better fit for you. Being laid off will give you time to work on and update your resume. A new, revamped resume could lead to job opportunities that were not available before.You will also have the time to enhance your professional skills that you maybe did not have while employed. Local community colleges offer many classes at a reasonable price that you can now take advantage of. Computer skills always look good on a resume, and may give you the edge on upcoming interviews, but there are also plenty of other classes that you can look into. A cooking class may not look good on a resume, but it could be fun, and ease the stress of being unemployed, which will help in the long run. Classes may also be a good way to network and let other people know you are looking for employment.If you ever felt trapped in your old job, this might be the perfect time to start looking for a job that you find more personally satisfying. You are no longer held back by fear of losing your position or your job security, so you can look for work you find more meaningful. If you have enough of a nest egg built up, you can afford to be a little choosy and look for the best jobs for you. If not, and you need work quickly, you might not be able to find the perfect job, but at least you have some options open.You should not spend all of your new free time focused completely on your professional life, as this can lead to burnout, which could lead to anxiety and depression about your recent layoff. It is best to find a balance between working on bettering your professional opportunities and enhancing your personal life. While it probably was not how you wanted to get the time, you now have extra time to spend with your family and friends and you should take advantage of it while it lasts.Kids grow up fast, and this layoff should give you more time to spend with them, or any other family that you normally feel you don’t see enough of. Romantic relationships sometimes take the brunt of a busy work schedule, and this can be the perfect time to spend a little time and effort working on your relationship with your significant other.Your layoff might also be a great time to cultivate your hobbies. Whether you have just discovered something, or have been interested in it your whole life, you now have some free time to spend developing it. It might be something you just do for fun, or it could be something you could turn into a little side job to make some money while looking for new employment. Either way, it can be a great opportunity to de-stress a little so you are not focusing completely on your recent job loss.But just as all your new free time should not be spent on building up your professional life, it should also not be just an excuse to lay around the house all day. Hanging out at the beach all day every day might look fun on television or in movies, but whatever money you had saved up will quickly run out, and you could be scrambling to stay afloat.As with all things in life, there is a balance that needs to be found to ensure that your time and energy are spent most effectively. But if you find this balance, being laid off could be a great chance for you to improve your life in several ways. If youlook at it as an opportunity to better yourself, not as a setback, you will be well on your way to making the most of what could have been a bad situation.
