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| Newsletter April 2009 |
086 889 8433 | |||||||
| Top Tips to Cope with Redundancy | ||||||||
hen you meet someone how often, is the first question you ask 'What do you do for a living? For about 10% of the population this is a question which there are dreading having to answer but it does not have to be that way. There is very little stigma attached to being made redundant now, as it is happening to many people as a result of a downturn in certain industries and sectors. Losing a job, results in further losses such as
Redundancy is both devastating and liberating. On one hand, it is very tough knowing that you have lost your job but on the other hand you may think that losing your job does not seem like such a bad idea after all. There are a minority of people who may be relieved that they have lost their job as it allows them the opportunity to escape an existence to which they could see no way out - they see it as freedom. Some people may use it as a positive experience to change direction or pursue something that they've put off. I know someone who was let go from their job, they cried for two days over the shock of it but then they confided that they felt guilty because a part of them was relieved that they didn't have to go back into their job.
However, nothing changes the fact that being made redundant from your job is physically, mentally and emotionally draining. Redundancy affects people in different ways. It is said that redundancy is up there with death and moving house as being a very stressful experience. When we are stressed everything looks worse than it is. Even the small and ordinary challenges can seem unbearable. It is said that an individual will go through the 5 emotional stages:
Denial - They do not believe it is happening to them. When a person has been told they are being made redundant, they usually go into a state of shock so they may not take in all the information being told. The person may not tell their partner, family or friends. By not acknowledging it they believe it is not happening.
Bargaining - They try to convince their employers to take them back.
Anger - Their emotions will swing up and down. They may take anger out on family members or begin to 'bad mouth' their previous employers.
Despair - They now begin to worry about providing for their family, finances, finding another job. The person may feel like 'it is them against the world'.
Acceptance - They begin to accept the situation. The person may begin to take control of the situation and be proactive.
BEING MADE REDUNDANT - STEPS TO BEAT THE STRESS
If you or anyone you know has been made redundant there are many things that they can do to help themselves during this time. Having been let go myself from a job in the past, I understand the roller-coaster of emotions that an individual goes through, the effect of being redundant has on the mental and physical body. Here are my top tips on how to cope with redundancy:
1. Do Not Take It Personally
Many people will take redundancy as a personal attack. Redundancy is not about you not doing well in your job, it is about your company or industry sector not doing well. It may feel personal but it is not. Your job has been made redundant, not You.
2. Count your blessings Make a list of all the things you have to be grateful for in your life under the headings - family & friends, health, relationships, finances, career, personal growth. By doing this you will see that your career is one element of your life - you have so many positive things in your life to be grateful for.
3. Take Control
A fundamental basis of life coaching & NLP is that you cannot change the world around you but you can change your reactions to it. So while being made redundant is stressful, consider at least one positive from the event e.g. Do you get to spend more time with your kids and partner? Do you get to rest your mind and body as your existing job was so stressful, do you have time to do some form of exercise now, Do you have time to actually consider what you want to do? Do you have time to reconnect to the things you loved to do - write, paint, cook etc?
Focusing on the negative can take its toll on your mental, emotional and physical body. Instead of thinking that it's all over and there is nothing you can do about it. Try thinking 'How can I attack the problem in manageable pieces'. Do not predict the worst that could happen ask yourself 'what is the best thing that could come from this?' you might surprise yourself with the answer!
4. Take Care of the Essentials First
By sorting out the essentials first you can then focus on yourself and what action you need to take. The essentials mainly being food, housing, clothing, finances e.g. bills, mortgage, redundancy pay, direct debits, school fees, car finance etc. By sorting out your finances sooner rather than later you can plan what to do with any savings or redundancy money you may have and it will allow you to take control of your finances. 5. Check your entitlements
Go online or contact your local Citizens Information Bureau to determine what entitlements you are allowed. Claim any payments you are entitled to which can help fund you during your work search/break. There are many websites which can help you see what you are entitled to but the best way is to meet someone from these organizations face-to-face. 6. Prepare a budget
Do a budget for the next 6 months which will focus you on how to manage your money. Write out your spending for the past two months. You can use your bank statements and credit cards - list all recurring payments, once off expenditure, any unexpected expenditure and when it is due e.g. car insurance, school fees, savings, credit card debts, loan repayments, house bills etc. This will allow you to see what your outgoings are, what are the essentials, is there anything that can be removed/decreased? Remember to budget for something for you and your family to look forward to. Whether it is a holiday, a weekend break or day out include some fun into your budget.
Decide whether you will clear all or part of your debts with your savings/redundancy money. Contact your bank in relation to changing the term or repayments on your mortgage, car and loan repayments. Contact the financial institutions so you can gather whatever information you need to make an informed decision on your debts.
7. Keep in a Routine
Make sure your day has structure so you do not fall into the habit of sleeping late every morning and watching TV late into the night. The structure of a routine keeps you alert and reinforces a feeling of self worth. By keeping to a routine, you are also preparing yourself for getting back into employment. There are people who will get up at their usual time, put on their suit and do their days work (job hunting, exercise, networking etc) so they keep up the routine of being at work. They are 'acting as if' - the mind does not know the difference between what is real and what is not. By staying in bed all day hiding under the duvet - what are you getting done? How would you feel? 8. Take Stock and Do Your Goals
Write down your goals, get organised and take action. The act of putting your goals and objectives on papers helps you maintain focus and activates your mind towards achieving them. Focusing on what you don't have will only create more of the same. Focus your energy in the right direction. 9. Use the Opportunity - Re-evaluate Career
You could look at being made redundant as an opportunity for change and personal growth. Write down the skills you have (you might even ask friends or family for their input as you may be hard on yourself during this period) and consider the kind of job you want. Perhaps you would like to try something else? What others industries use your unique skills and strengths? How could you find the opportunities available to you? What would have to happen for you to change career or find a new job? You may have been so busy in your previous job that you did not fully explore other avenues.
Redundancy can offer you the chance to take a step back and re-evaluate your life, your finances, your ambitions, your dreams and your future. Although it may be tough financially at first it can provide the stepping stone for starting the next stage of your life.
There are many possibilities available to those who are made redundant:
Hire the services of a career coach if you want to clarify what you want to do and plan a strategy to get there. You may also consider using the time to update your CV and interview skills. 10. Look after yourself
For many looking after themselves physically and mentally is the last on the list when they are working hard, long hours and managing a family. Use the time you have now to do things that you have put on the long finger. Exercise, even walking, can help bring down stress levels and will make you feel better. Also exercise it a great opportunity to allow yourself to leave all your thoughts at the door and concentrate on you for that specific time. Give yourself something to look forward to. Write down 5 fun and recreation activities that you tried to do (or stopped doing) while you were working or did not 'have the time'. Consider doing at least one of these activities now when you have the time. Take the time to do the things you enjoy. Spending your time worrying will only wear you down and leave you less likely to cope. There are plenty of places which are offering discounts for those who are unemployed so use this opportunity to do something that you like and will enjoy. Check out the internet for those organizations offering discounts or go for long walks in Glendalough, Dun Laoghaire or someplace where you feel relaxed. 11. Get support Instead of thinking you have to handle this alone, reach out and ask for support. Try thinking 'I need some support to get through this who can I go to?' When we are stressed we usually withdraw into ourselves so know that having support will help you get through this. Use family, friends or other organisations to get the support you need. Talking openly and honestly about how you feel can be like opening a door. Talking puts you back in control and reveals the choices available to you. Many people feel they have to be strong and handle it all by themselves so they do not burden family or friends. But by holding in your emotions they will continue to build up until they are unbearable or you become irritable and short tempered. Either way, talking to someone will help you realise that you are not on your own and help to reduce tension. 12. You will survive Remember you are not alone. We hear the statistics everyday so if you find the news depressing, stop listening to it. There have been recessions before and we have survived. There will probably be recessions in the future but we always survive. Look at the word 'recession', a recess means a short break and period to adjust before moving forward. You are in a recess, things will start to move again but you may need to make some adjustments prior to this. *************************************************************************
Life Coaching & NLP
Offer 1
2 sessions for the price of 1 - valid until 31 May 2009
You can use the 2 for 1 for Life Coaching, Career Coaching, Redundancy Coaching or NLP. So whether you want to see if Life Coaching is for you or want to address a specific issue then contact me.
Offer 1
2 sessions for the price of 1 - valid until 30 April 2009
If you know someone who is suffering the emotional rollercoaster of being made redundant or dealing with the stress of having a family member redundant, then reiki can help them release the stress of the events, clear the mind of the thoughts running through it and give them time out to relax. *************************************************************************
Thanks for reading! If you know someone who could benefit from this, feel free to forward it to them!
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Dublin Holistic Centre, 16 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 | ||||||||
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