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12 March 2009
The Isolation of Unemployment. From the wellness blog on the nytimes. I found the reader comments particularly interesting.→[More:]Sorry if this is the-fucking-economy overload.
It's funny, before I was laid-off, I was working at home full time. I forgot that most other people getting laid off weren't- they have to go from going to an office every day to not going to an office every day. It's less of a transition from me.
I didn't know you were laid off too, TPS. Sorry to hear that.
On top of the isolation of just not dealing with people every day (which I did even at times I've worked from home) it's frustrating to not be able to even have drinks with people. If I was independently wealthy I think I'd be able to stave off the sense of isolation for the most part. In fact, I think that's the most challenging side for me, more than just feeling out of step and out of touch.
I don't know if I've ever felt an "icy chill of loneliness" mainly because I've never been conventionally "successful" and so, have never defined myself by my job.
I will say, though, that being stuck at home all day and being so broke that you can't go out can be painfully dull.
I just can't make it through the comments. I hear enough bad, sad news all day as it is...I'm glad people have somewhere to compare notes, though. As isolating as this is today, I know that it was much more so in my parents' generation, where the only place they could read or talk about it like that was down in the corner bar, maybe. The internet is a boon for helping people realize their experiences are shared.
When I was laid off in 2002, I moved to the DC area cuz I figured that was my best opportunity to network for a job. To beat the isolation blues, I volunteered three afternoons a week to cold call for a political group. Having my own desk, chair, phone and mission surrounded by others helped me feel like I was still in the game.
It's definitely a good time for people to do some volunteering. In fact, it might be kind of a smart idea to start a service connecting laid-off people with temporary, pickup volunteer gigs like that, a couple days a week, a couple hours a day. A lot could get done.
I can relate, I got pretty antsy hanging out at home this winter while I was laid off. If it had been summer it wouldn't have been so bad but Pittsburgh in the Winter is just so crappy that you can't do much but stay inside. You know that you've been home too long when you get all excited when you hear the mail come through the slot and thump into the entryway.
In fact, it might be kind of a smart idea to start a service connecting laid-off people with temporary, pickup volunteer gigs like that, a couple days a week, a couple hours a day
Many cities already have such services to match willing volunteers with low-commitment volunter projects- in New York, we have New York Cares.
n-thing the volunteer trip. The one thing I keep telling myself in my laidoffitude is to still make the hours count - don't marinate in despair and isolation, get out there and make a difference. Go to the gym, exercise and use the time you have away from a desk to instill positive value in your life and others.
Just because some bottom line feeder told you you weren't valuable anymore doesn't mean anything. Get out there and counteract their negativity.
I don't feel so isolated. But then, several of my friends are also laid off now (another just yesterday) so we have "unemployed looser lunch day" and so on.
I usually do OK. Until people ask me "how's the job hunt?" Which the always do. And I have to explain there is no hunt. The hunt isn't putting in resumes, it's FINDING a single damn company even accepting resumes since everyone, even the cable company, has a hiring freeze on.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
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