Lesson 2 - Creating a Plan (Part 1)

Yes, you will need to plan your money (budget), and plan how to continue with your life but those will be addressed in Part 2 of this lesson.  First, we need to focus on the idea of "what to do with all of this free time".  Let's face it. You will have lots of free time now, and it's best to create a plan so you can best utilize this new found freedom. 


Step 1 - Create a schedule


Yes, a detailed hour by hour (minute by minute if you need) schedule.  Have a set time that you wake up each day, a plan for what you want to accomplish each day, and certain goals that you would like to meet.
Here is how mine looks:

• 7:15 a.m. - Wake up
• 7:30 a.m. - Wake up "Sam"
• 8:30 a.m. - Get "Sam" on bus
• 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. - Exercise
• 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. - Shower, Get dressed, etc.
• 11:00 - 12:00 - Free time
• 12:00 - 12:30 - Meet "Sam" on lunch
• 1:00 - 3:00 - School work
• 3:00 - 4:30 - Clean
• 4:30 - Get "Sam" off bus
• 4:30 - 6:00 - Cook/Eat dinner
• 6:00 - 8:00 - Help "Sam" with homework
• 8:00 - 9:00 - "Sam" takes shower/gets ready for bed
• 9:00 - "Sam" goes to bed
• 9:00 - 11:00 - Free time
• 11:00 - Go to bed

Now, this certainly is not an all-inclusive schedule. Nor, is it written in stone. Of course changes will need to be made. There will be interviews to go to and volunteer work to perform. However, this is an initial draft that will at least get me going each day.


Step 2 - Create goals for each day


Nothing is more depressing than getting up each day with absolutely nothing to look forward to. If you have nothing you want to accomplish for that day, what is the point of waking up at all?  When you think of it in those terms, it's easy to see how someone could easily become depressed.  But not you! No, you are going to create goals for yourself! Now, they don't have to be big, lofty goals that you will never accomplish (climbing Mt. Everest) but they do need to be challenging enough to make you want to work for it. Simply having a goal of getting up each day does not help.  No, you need to have S.M.A.R.T. goals.


S - Specific -  "I want a job" is not specific. What kind of job do you want? Unless you would be happy working in fast food, it's best that you come up with something a little clearer.
M - Measurable - This one goes hand-in-hand with "Specific". Happiness, along with other emotions cannot be measured very well. That's why a goal like, "I want to be happy" would not be very good.
A - Attainable -  What is the sense in creating a goal you know you can never achieve?  If you are a general American citizen and your goal is to become King of England, I would suggest you rethink that.
R - Realistic -  Again, this one goes along with "attainable".  While the goal of "I want to win 100 million dollars" is nice in theory, is it really realistic?
T - Timely -   Have a time frame. Do you want to complete this goal in a day, a week, a month, or a year?


Initially, your goals can be small. Start with something like, I want to hand out 10 resumes today. That is a great goal! It is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.  Or, you can create big goals like, I want to get a job with Company X, and work a little each day to reach that goal.  Either way have something that you are working towards each day.


Step 3 - Use your time wisely


So, what's wrong with sitting around in your underwear, eating chips, and watching daytime TV?  It's simple.  One of the first questions a perspective employer will ask is, "what have you been doing with your time off ?" and everyone gives the standard answer, "looking for work". Wouldn't it be great if you could actually have a meaningful answer?


Volunteer! - Whether it's at your child's school, the local humane society, a homeless shelter, or one of the thousands of non-profit organizations throughout this country. Not only is this an excellent way to use up those extra hours you have found but it's also a great networking resource.  When you get out and mingle with different people, you never know who you might meet. Every new person may be your next employment lead.


So, get out there and do something!

Lesson 1 – Getting into the right frame of mind

Being faced with unemployment is a difficult thing to wrap your mind around.  For someone, like me, who has worked their whole lives, this situation brings about new emotions and concerns.  I would like to say that I didn’t see it coming however, I have known for a while that change was on its way. I will admit that I was naïve in thinking that I would be except from the change.  I mean, I am a great employee. I have received numerous accolades from customers detailing how great it is to work with me. I am extremely knowledgeable, quick, and thorough… which is more than any of my co-workers can say.  In fact, I have many customers who refuse to deal with anyone else, other than me.  So, how could I not feel blindsided when the news came?  It is completely understandable and natural to go through many different emotions. In the past month I have experienced…

Hurt – How could they do this to me? I have been a GREAT employee for over 4 years. My boss has frequently told me, I am the best employee they have ever had.  I am the lowest paid, yet the hardest working employee you have and this is how you repay me?  I have personally saved this company Thousands of dollars. It was ME who discovered those customers who were abusing the credit privilege. It was ME who checked each and every order discrepancy for accuracy.  It was ME who sent report after report of employee and customer errors. Yet, none of that matters. “It’s just business”, they say.  No matter what your “business” is, you are also dealing with human beings and the welfare of those families. Businesses should have a certain ethical obligation to protect employees from the money hungry executives.  My personal job was lost so the company could hire 2 part-time employees and not be required to pay for benefits.  The rest of the employees at this facility were “downsized” because the owner bought a new “toy” which he could not afford to run.

Anger – How could you “downsize” ME? I am here before 8:30 every morning, opening the doors. I stay until after 5 to lock those same doors.  I am here when it snows, I am here on holidays, and I am here when others call in “sick”.  Why would you choose to keep someone with less knowledge, less motivation, and less drive?  

Fear – I only made $10/hr before.  How am I ever going to make ends meet on unemployment?  And what, pre tell, am I supposed to do without health insurance?  I am a single mom. Making ends meet was not easy before. It is going to be almost impossible now.  I have done the calculations, I will only bring home $282 a week. Out of that I will still have to pay income taxes, which brings me down to about $200 a week.  So, were looking at about $866.66 a month, minus $460 for rent, minus $100.00 for electricity, minus $35.00 for phone, minus $155 for insurance, minus $65 for my storage unit. That leaves about $50 a month for food, gas, medication, and everything else.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get some government assistance. I’m sure I’ll be able to get food stamps but, the wait list for Section 8 is still 2 years long.

Sadness – I am truly going to miss (almost) everyone I work with. For 4 years I have created some close relationships with my fellow co-workers. You figure, I spend more (awake) time with them than I do my own family.  Although we may all say we’ll keep in touch, we know most of us probably will never see each other again. 

Embarrassment – Up until now unemployment has been for someone else, not me.  Government assistance? No thank you. I can take care of my family on my own.  Now I have to deal with the shame and embarrassment of not being able to provide for my family without help.  This is truly a new situation for me, and it is not a pleasant one. 

These are just a few emotions that people facing unemployment will experience. It is completely normal and natural however, you cannot wallow in your self-pity.  All of these emotions will only get you so far. There comes a time when you have to realize that change (however painful) is inevitable.  And, who knows? This may be a blessing in disguise. A part of me is actually looking forward to being a “stay-at-home mom” for a little while. I’ll be able to walk my son to the bus stop and be there when he gets dropped off in the evening. I’ll be able to volunteer in his classroom. I’ll be able to have a good, wholesome meal sitting on the table for dinner. I’ll finally be able to do the things I don’t seem to have time for now.  My message here is this; feel the pain, feel the hurt, feel the embarrassment, but don’t let those feelings absorb you. You must get in the correct frame of mind to be able to move forward and make the best out of this situation. 

Prelude – A bit about me

In 2000 I married “Dan” who worked for a wholesale pet supply distributor. (Names have been changed to protect the guil….err…. innocent.)  By 2001 we had a baby boy “Sam”.  By 2003 Dan and I were divorced.  Then, in 2004 Dan wanted to try and “work things out” again.  In 2005 Dan decided to take a promotion within the company that moved him 400 miles away.  In 2006 Sam and I followed, and Dan soon got me a position in the same company.  In 2007 Dan kicked me out to move his new girlfriend in.  Although most of our family and friends live in another state, I chose to stay here (in Kentucky). There were many reasons but most importantly I chose to stay because I loved my job.  Although I didn’t make a lot of money ($10 p/hr) I enjoyed what I was doing and who I was working for.  Then in late 2010 rumors started circulating about upcoming changes.  For a while I thought my job was safe.  However, the day before the “big meeting” I was informed that I was needed at the meeting too.  On December 3, 2010 I was told that my position would be eliminated as of January 31, 2011.  For the sake of honesty, both Dan and I were offered positions back at the corporate headquarters in our home town. Dan took the transfer, I did not. They offered Dan a position roughly the same as he has now. For me, however, they could not guarantee a specific position, rate of pay, or schedule of work. They simply said they would try to fit me in “somewhere”.  I have been back in school for 1 ½ years now and will finally be finished with my Bachelor’s degree in May. I have already checked, and because of the difference in credit hours, my classes would not transfer equally to a university back home.  I would basically be forced to start all over again. In addition, Sam loves his life down here. He likes his school and his friends. Other than missing his Grandparents, Aunt/Uncle, and cousins he is happy down here.