Preparing Ahead of Time for Job Loss

     Before we start to tackle this issue, let’s acknowledge a truth many people learn the hard way: All of us, every one of us, may be moments from a forced sabbatical ourselves. Because that’s true, I want to start out by briefly listing steps you can take today to be better prepared for a forced sabbatical. While some of these will seem elementary, they take on new importance in a forced sabbatical, as we’ll see later when we talk about the isolation and struggle often present in that time.

     With that in mind, here are some ideas for how to prepare ourselves ahead of time for the spiritual and emotional impact of job loss:

1. Cultivate an intimate relationship with God that includes prayer, Bible reading and Bible study.

2. Cultivate your relationship with a local church.

3. Cultivate a relationship with a small group of people who like you enough to stand by you in difficult circumstances.

4. Avoid defining yourself by what you do. Invest in people and activities outside of work.

5. Stop resting your security on your own ability to do…

6. Discover your gifts and passions ahead of a forced sabbatical.

7. Talk to your family about your work. If they don’t understand your work situation before you’re out of work, their own insecurities will be heightened when you are out of work.

     Remember, these steps can still occur even after you lose your job, but they become much harder to accomplish in the face of the increased pressures which are naturally present in those difficult times.

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