It feels like right now, nobody has a job. Even the people that are lucky enough to have jobs are likely doing it from home, with their business notes propped up against a salt shaker on their kitchen island.
But for the estimated 44% of Canadian households where someone has lost a job, this can be a dark and scary time.
I was laid off as a television broadcaster in 2016 and it scared the hell out of me. I can’t say if it was better or worse for it to happen when the world was operating in a normal capacity. I could walk to the Service Canada building and actually talk with a human about applying for Employment Insurance benefits. I could drop my resume off at news stations and go through a normal interview process. I could go over to a friends house and cry on the couch and get a hug. None of those are viable options at the moment with physical distancing and self-isolation, and I feel for you. But it might have been nice to know that a bunch of other people had been laid off at the same time and that I wasn’t going through it alone.
Having been through that challenging time, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and making it back onto a payroll (roughly 7 months later!), I did learn a few valuable lessons about losing my job. These learning moments apply for any time or place, regardless of the ‘Rona (trendy word for Covid-19).
1. Stay Active
Right after I was laid off, the first thing I did was go home and cry. The second thing I did was go to a yoga class. I actually kept my workout routine as normal as I possibly could and this was HUGE. It’s so easy to just lie around on your couch and feel sorry for yourself right after you’ve lost your job (and it’s also totally acceptable). But going for a jog, even just a walk around the block can be so beneficial in clearing your mind and giving yourself a new scene to look at.
Now I realize gyms and yoga studios aren’t open these days, but you’ll be amazed at what you can do from home. Maybe it’s 15 minutes of yoga in the morning or a walk around the block. Maybe it’s googling a few exercises, or finding a workout video on YouTube that you can do in your living room. I went for jogs around my neighbourhood in the morning (bonus if you can find a set of stairs!) and it’s crazy how accomplished I felt before the day had even started. Having a sense of achievement when you’re laid off is massive for morale!
2. Eat Healthy
The third thing I did (after crying and yoga) was binge on pizza. I actually think I ate out every day for two weeks. Part of that is because I had awesome friends who consoled me about losing my job. There was a lot of beer and wings, and a few shots of tequila. But I didn’t feel so hot physically after treating my body like a garbage can.
Now I’m not saying stop ordering in entirely, but if you’ve been laid off, realize that what you’re eating and consuming can also affect your mental health. Keep getting those fruits and veggies, keep drinking that water. Also, ordering in and doing drive-thrus can get pricey fast, and when you don’t know when the next pay cheque is coming, it might not be the wisest idea to make that a habit. Keep your diet as balanced as you can. And while drinking alcohol might seem like a good idea to numb the pain, it can also trigger depression. Go easy on your gut and liver.
3. Network
You have no idea how long you’re going to be laid off. That’s the scary part. I’d like to think positive, like this pandemic will blow over asap. But the reality is, so much uncertainty is tied together with losing your job or being laid off.
The good news is, it seems like a lot of people have a lot of time on their hands right now. Take this as an opportunity to network. Make a list of people you admire in your profession, or a list of companies you’d love to work for. Then try and find some contacts and pick up the phone. Try and set up as many meetings over the phone or video conference as you can. Treat this as a chance to do some information interviews. Ask these people how they got their jobs, what advice they could give, what they do on a daily basis, ask if they’ve ever been laid off! Don’t ask for a job, but gather as much information and insight as you can while you have the opportunity, but also while they have the time to give it. They might remember you a few months or years from now and offer you that dream job! Or better yet, when you land on your feet, maybe you help them get theirs.
4. Mental Health
I definitely dealt with anxiety and depression when I got laid-off. It didn’t really settle in until about a month and a half after I’d lost my job. The first month weirdly felt like a stay-cation, it was nice to have some time off, catch up on Netflix and sleep in, but that went south fast.
I was lucky to still have access to my therapist after I was laid-off. I leaned on her a lot through this time. Talking about my worries, where my income was going to come from, if I was going to work in television again, and if I should give up on that dream were constant themes of our sessions. I also shared with her how uncomfortable I felt about myself when I binged on television. She said that I should literally put binging into my schedule, because allowing myself to do nothing was also really important (hello!!). I realize it’s a privilege to be able to afford and have access to a therapist, so that might not be an option.
The two things she told me that really stuck with me:
Don’t give up. Persist. The person who doesn’t give up on their career is the one who ends up getting the job, even if it takes years. It’s a matter of how badly you want it, or how long you’re willing to gut it out for.
You’re not allowed to take this as medical advice, that’s the disclaimer, but she recommended I take some vitamins to give my brain & mental health a boost. Vitamin D, Salmon Oil (3 capsules a day), and L-Theanine (250mg in the PM and first thing in the AM) was her recommendation. Through my research, some of these help your brain relax. She also told me to get some protein at every meal.
5. Sleep
The best thing about the weekend is sleeping in (am I right?). Being laid off can feel like an extra long weekend, but with none of fun, so it’s really easy to get into a whacky sleep pattern. There were nights when I felt like a college student, falling asleep and 2-3 A.M and then waking up at noon. Now if that’s your circadian rhythm, then own it. However if that’s a routine to fall into, it can be trouble. Imagine you set up one of the information interviews with a mentor, or get a job offer and they want to set up a phone meeting at 9 A.M. It probably won’t feel the greatest trying to get back onto normal work hours when you’re rocking the freshman pace of life.
My advice? Set a bed-time alarm. I use a morning alarm as well, but set one about 20 minutes before you intend on going to bed. When that alarm goes off, it’s the signal for brushing your teeth, washing your face, and going to sleep. It also helps for when you’re in an instagram vaccum, or just going deep in a Netflix series with no concept of how long you’ve been watching for.
You’ll appreciate your career like never before
This is not a cool time of your life. Know that, and recognize that. It’s awful, and it’s terrifying. But also remember “pressure makes diamonds”. When you do emerge from this period, you’ll be stronger. I truly felt like getting laid off and bouncing back was a right of passage in my career. I’ll never take my job for granted again, and I realize how quickly it can be taken away. I hope you’ll emerge on the other side with a much deeper appreciation for your employment than ever before. And just think, you’ll probably never complain about work on a Monday again.