Free reflection downloadable for support after layoffs

I have been affected by layoffs twice since 2019 and I don’t expect that to be the last time in my career (retrenched as we’d say in South Africa). As I see more and more layoffs happening globally, something has been stirring inside of me to offer support to others who are affected. I’ve created a free reflection downloadable for support after layoffs that’s not about CVs or job searches but about YOU🌟. (Workbook 1 and no you won’t have to sign up for my newsletter, I don’t even have one).

Workbook 1 is my way of offering a pause button, a moment for reflection. I've shared some of my own experiences, provided room for journaling, and suggested practical steps to navigate this challenging time.

📖 This guide is for you if you’ve been laid off and you’re in a panic spiral, catastrophising or sitting in negativity, wondering what is next.

When I first got laid off I thought:

😩 Oh no, now what

😩 I wasn’t good enough at my job for them to keep me

😩 Am I still good enough for the next job

😩 I don’t know if I’ll find another job

😩 I don’t know if I will find another job as good as this one

😩 What will I do for money?

😩 What about my unfinished work?

😩 What courses should I do next?

And the worst one

😩 In my next job I’ll work harder.

Some things I learnt that felt hard to accept at the time:

💭 You don’t need to be okay or pretend to be okay and you might find yourself angry, hurt, upset and that’s fine.

💭 Even the best people managers can't protect you from a C-level decision

💭 Colleagues that you thought were close to you may never reach out, and that’s normal, they may be experiencing worries of their own

💭 Yes, all those times you worked after hours aren’t taken into account when these decisions are made

💭 No, it doesn’t matter whether you were a high performer 

💭 All jobs are temporary

Unexpected layoffs can shake our world and leave us filled with self-doubt, discouragement and panic. In these moments, it's okay not to have it all figured out. It's okay to feel angry, upset, and frustrated. I've been there too.

Feel free to pass this workbook along to anyone who might need it. I've got two more workbooks coming soon, focusing on job hunting 👩‍💻 and dealing with finances 💵.

Download the workbook here