When you lose a job you wouldn't automatically assume that you would grieve the loss of that job but it can be a perfectly natural reaction. Whether we like our jobs or not, a job represents stability and more importantly, it's generally how we sustain ourselves and our lifestyles, so when we lose a job, our stability is threatened. Work also gives us a purpose, a reason to get up in the morning. Finding ourselves redundant can have a knock-on effect in many areas of our lives and this can cause us to grieve for that loss.
Our confidence can take a knock when we experience redundancy
Redundancy can mean many different things to different people. Some people could have been waiting for their boss to tell them that their job is being made redundant, but for others it could be the news they have been dreading. Struggling to find a new job can affect our confidence and even our trust in our ability to find new work, especially if we've been in a job for a while. It's not always possible to brush off our losses, and feelings of sadness, anger, regret and anxiety can surface, making things seem hopeless.
We also need to grieve for the loss of our usual routines and all that is familiar, as well as grieving for our friends and colleagues in the workplace. It is important that we acknowledge the feelings we have around the redundancy and realise that it's ok to feel sad about losing our jobs.
Look for the opportunities
It can be really difficult not to take redundancy personally, especially if we have been committed to our job. Self-doubt can creep in and make the future seem uncertain. The current economic climate doesn't help our self confidence as we look around and see many others in the same situation as companies continue to make stuff redundant due to the economic crisis of the 2020 pandemic. Finding a job in this new reduced market is a worry for all of us. This is perfectly natural, as we try to process being made redundant and part of this process, is allowing ourselve. time to grieve for our loss and work out how we can create opportunity and think about what we really want from a new job.
Our last job may have become a habit, it might have been making us unhappy, we could have been stuck in a rut, sometimes it's just easier to stay. But now we have an opportunity to change our lives and channel our energies into creating a new and exciting future
Create a self-care routine
Think about yourself and be really honest about how you feel and what you want from life. Spend time with friends and family and think about your future. While you are looking for a job try to stick to a structure. Try to get up at the same time as you would if you were working so you stick to a work day structure as much as you can. This will put meaning into your day and will create a sense of having done something positive.
Remember that it’s the job that is redundant, not you. You still have your skills and your talents. Redundancy can sometimes be the push that we needed to take our lives forward. Begin networking, look at your CV and check it's up to date and showcases you and your talents in the best way. Build on your CV and really think about the skills you have and make sure you include everything so you really stand out.
Accept that life changes
We can't control the twists and turns that life can take. There will be times when life goes according to plan, it's great but with every up, there is down, just like life. The key is learning to accept the good and bad days in life and accept that we can't control everything in life. And the bad days will make us appreciate the good days even more. Don’t let a bad event, like redundancy, make you lose sight of all that you have and all that you are.
Don’t let losing your job define you. Use this time to improve your learning whether that means taking more courses, extra training or trying out volunteering work.
There is always something out there if we look. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. Show the world that you can adapt and find excitement in the challenge of the unknown - it could just end up being the best thing that could have happened to you.
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