The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in a myriad of ways. Between social distancing, quarantine, and everyday health regulations, many people experienced unemployment.
If you were affected by job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, you understand the experience all too well. Even as stressful as losing a job, taking the necessary steps to take care of yourself while embracing new career opportunities is possible.
Job Loss in America
Although July 2022 saw an increase of 25 million jobs in the U.S., there’s no doubt that the pandemic left a massive scar on nationwide employment. Some regions of the country vary in terms of employment statistics.
However, on a general scale, the U.S. is still trying to recover from post-pandemic levels of unemployment. It should also be mentioned that certain industries currently have more job opportunities than others.
For instance, there’s a nationwide increase in demand for transportation and warehousing. Even so, other industries that may have seen increased job openings before the pandemic struggled to keep up, leaving many unemployed.
Overcoming Unemployment
It’s completely valid to feel overwhelmed and worried about finances, especially once you’ve lost a major source of income. Losing your job can become a major stressor, especially if you’re trying to raise a family in the midst of it all.
You may feel hopeless about the situation and find it difficult to remain optimistic while searching for another job. While all of these emotions are completely understandable, it is possible to take control of your life after a job loss and begin moving forward toward another future opportunity.
You may even feel similar feelings after retiring. Although the gravity of unemployment can feel like a lot to bear, there are healthy and effective ways to cope during difficult times.
Seven Tips for Coping With Job Loss
1. Allow Yourself to Grieve
Although grief is often associated with events like death, many people fail to realize that they can experience similar feelings after losing their job. After all, grief is your way of processing loss, which is very much what unemployment is.
Thus, instead of trying to suppress these feelings, allow yourself to experience your emotions. Acknowledge and validate your feelings as you go through the five stages of grief: anger, depression, bargaining, denial, and acceptance, which can occur in no particular order.
2. Reach Out for Support
Experiencing many emotions, especially after going through significant loss, can make it tempting to isolate yourself from others. However, although you may feel alone, your loved ones want to help you. Instead of going through all these emotions yourself, reach out to a trusted loved one for support.
They can listen to you if you simply need to talk it out. Many people mistakenly believe that they’ll be a burden to others by asking for help, although this is anything but the truth.
3. Establish a Budget
Falling into an overwhelming whirlpool of financial worries can be easy after losing your job. While this is understandable, it’s important to try and remain as financially calm as possible during this difficult time.
If you feel overwhelmed, try to work with the financial resources you already have. For example, look into potential unemployment benefits you may qualify for while searching for another job. You may also consider trying out freelance work before looking for full-time employment.
4. Get Involved With Your Community
Sometimes, after experiencing a devastating loss, staying busy is the best way to cope. This could be especially true if you used to have a core community with other co-workers.
Losing all of these relationships at once can contribute to the grief you’re experiencing. Thus, consider getting involved with your surrounding community during unemployment.
Examples may include attending local clubs/organizations, volunteering, or participating in neighborhood events. You may even feel fulfilled by attending networking events that let you meet new people while finding new career opportunities.
5. Take Care of Yourself
Make sure to establish a self-care routine after losing your job. As mentioned previously, you’ll likely be experiencing many emotions that may keep you from performing everyday tasks and needs.
Make sure you’re still eating while consuming substances like alcohol in moderation. It would help if you also tried to engage in at least 30 minutes of comfortable and accommodating daily physical activity. Consider getting back into or trying a new hobby to establish a new routine.
6. Continue Pursuing Your Career
After you’ve taken time to process, grieve, and reflect on the kind of position you’d like, begin searching for your new job. Just be prepared for the process, as it can take some time and feel overwhelming.
Before beginning your search, develop an employment search plan to break the procedure down into small, manageable steps. Make sure to set boundaries for yourself, such as a specified period of time when you search for jobs and spend time filling out applications.
7. Be Honest With Your Children
While you shouldn’t completely overwhelm your children with financial insecurities, they’ll likely notice changes within the household. Allow for open conversations about what’s happening with your children within a certain degree of discretion.
Validate their feelings and ensure that they understand it’s not their fault. You might also be surprised by how much they want to help you of their own volition. In other words, please don’t underestimate your children when it comes to their everyday observations.
Here’s how to turn a job loss into an opportunity for success.
