Job Loss Anxiety Is Real…Build Resilience
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Job loss anxiety is real, and it affects millions.
I work in the world of IT, and for whatever reason, there have been a bunch of companies laying folks off to kick off 2024. This makes things stressful. It's more than just worry over financial stability; it's the fear of losing a sense of purpose, the disruption of daily routines, and the challenge of finding a new direction in one's career path. Dealing with this anxiety is one of the greatest things I’ve ever done for myself because it changed so much for me.
This anxiety can manifest itself in many ways, including sleep disturbances, irritability, loss of motivation, and this pervasive sense of dread about the future. Don’t get me wrong, almost all of these are natural responses to a threat of losing a job, but when it becomes chronic, the psychological impact can be devastating.
The first step is to realize that there are some things in life that are out of our control.
The decision on if you get laid off or not, is one of those things. There’s a certain fruitlessness to worrying about it, but that doesn’t necessarily stop our worry.
The second step is to recognize the signs and acknowledge our feelings without judgment.
We must understand that we’re not alone in this experience. When we address the emotional weight of job insecurity, then we can begin to take constructive steps toward alleviating its grip over us.
How Do We Manage It?
I got laid off of my very first job out of college, and it was such a precarious time because I was just starting to make real money, and could just about pay my bills. When it happened, I was so lost as to how I was suppose to figure things out now, I remember stressing so much I couldn’t sleep. My parents helped me for a couple of months.
I was blessed, but I’m also completely aware that not everyone has that safety net.
It was then I realized I needed to be proactive in how I managed this anxiety and to set myself up for the future, in case it ever happened again. There’s 3 ways I attacked this:
Financial Planning - I needed an emergency fund. This, honestly, was the single best thing I did that alleviated my stress. When you know you’ve got some money stashed away, even if it’s just 3 months, you give yourself some breathing room. Also, knowing how much you spend and where you spend means that if times get lean, you also know the things you can cut back on.
Increasing Skillset - You know what is a great hedge against getting laid off… being the best at what you do. I’m not talking about being cocky, but when you put time into increasing your skill set, even if you do get laid off, the chances of you bouncing back quicker is in your favor. Work on your professional development as well as building your network. You never know where your next job can come from.
Prioritizing Self-Care - Learning different ways to manage your stress, exercising, building up your hobbies, practicing gratitude, all of these helped me in decreasing the amount of anxiety I had over losing a job. In truth, these steps help with all kinds of stressor, so it’s a gif that keeps on giving. Take time and take care of you.
Listen, the anxiety of losing your job is complex, and I’m no doctor, but I do believe that stabilizing your financial standing and prioritizing your self care and skills can only help. Taking action, no matter how small, can lead to some positive changes. Know that every step leads you to new opportunities and growth.
