Getting laid off is tough. Even though I’m a consultant and expect to be the first to go, a lay-off can still be an unwelcome surprise, like opening the door and finding a dead bird on the porch instead of the newspaper. Gross.
What’s my advice for surviving a lay-off? Three tips:
1. Energy is everything. Keep your energy as high and positive as possible. Make a list of the things that bring you energy–such as walking in nature, playing with your kids or grandkids, working out, reading an inspiring story, or volunteering at the soup kitchen—and then do them. If you draw a blank when asked what brings you energy, remember that energy is what makes you feel vibrant and alive. Next, carry a note pad around with you one day and write down what you do that makes you feel vibrant and alive. That’s a list of the things you do that increase your energy.
How easy is that?
2. Don’t watch, listen, or read the news. (Well, maybe sports or style news is OK, but nothing else.) T. Harve Eker, the founder of Peak Potentials Training, calls CNN “constantly negative news.” If you’re feeling afraid about the economy, my guess is that watching the news will make you feel even more afraid. Your news-free break doesn’t have to be permanent. Just try it for a week and see how you feel. How does it impact your energy?
3. Do something for someone else. Sure, you need to network, polish your resume, network some more, apply for jobs, network even more….but in-between all the networking, what can you do for someone else who’s in an even tougher spot? Maybe you can help a family member who’s ill, a homeless person you don’t even know, or someone in a nursing home.
Doing something kind for others stops our own tendency to feel sorry for ourselves. This is a good thing, since self-whining is an energy drain times a thousand.
If you can’t remember all three tips for before, during, and after a lay-off, recall this: energy is everything.