So many employers are laying off so many people these days that I guess I should just be sleepless all of the time. My employer announced huge layoffs this month (10,000 people), so how do I get through nights successfully. The short answer is Benadryl, though that only goes so far. For me, it works if I just stare at the back of my eyelids and shrug off any thoughts that come into my head about future layoffs. I felt really good though, when recently, I submitted my resume to a head hunter (who knows how he got my resume). So here are some tips that will you help you get through the nights leading up to getting laid off.
- I really wasn't joking about Benadryl. I have massive allergies here in the mid-west and I must say that it helps me tremendously when I just can't sleep. I figured out that it helped me sleep because when I went to the allergist, I found that I was allergic to my environment. My Allegra has taken over along with a nasal spray to help me get my full nights. The good thing about Benadryl is that it is non-habit forming and a very good short term answer to sleeplessness.
- The world will continue to revolve, evolve, and grow. This includes the economy, and looking at history (since it tends to repeat itself), you can see that we aren't where we were in the early 80's now; we aren't in the depression of the 30's. In short, the economy will grow and jobs will be created, so hang in there; don't worry so much about losing one job.
- Plan your future. This you should always be doing, I personally re-evaluate my short term goals on a monthly basis and my long term goals not so often. Short term goals can change, but you should always focus on your long term goals and change these much less often since they are generally harder to achieve. A few years ago I decided to enter school this August, having a bachelors and a masters means that this goal is not mandatory; but since this has been one of my goals, I will continue to focus on this. It goes toward the longer term goals that I have.
- Stay positive. Even if you aren't feeling positive you should try to reflect positive. If you constantly smile at those around you, they will start smiling back. It is a lot harder to rid a negative seed in any environment. So if you have anything negative to say, do those around you a favor, keep them to yourself. It also helps if you depersonalize any critique, which helps in the academic world.
- Smile. 'nuf said.
- Smile some more. Possibly until your cheeks hurt.
These are just some of my suggestions if you might be in danger of getting laid off. If it does happen to you, and you lose that job, working for that employer that you love, then remember that there are other employers out there. Plan for a course of action, guide your short term decisions by the larger picture (your long term solutions). After all, that is what your employer is doing.