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Everything King: The aim is not to panic

There is a job out there. It will come at its appointed time
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Everything King (with Wendy King)

If you have ever been unemployed as I find myself or if you work from home, you may also learn a lot about yourself.

Did you ever wonder how others didn’t know what day it is?  When you are not working, you never know. Mondays don’t feel like Mondays anymore.  Hump Day has no meaning.  Friday is just another day.  I’m not sure if this is a blessing or a curse.

When you are not in a traditional workplace there is no dress code .

I was always a big believer in dressing for success.  Call it old school but I think there is appropriate clothing for work.  Personally, I just always felt more professional and confident when I was dressed up, made up and well accessorized. On the rare occasions I went casual, I just didn’t feel I was giving my best.  However, being at home, it is harder to get up, do your hair, plaster on the makeup and put on the bra.  I have to really fight with myself most days lest my spirit animal, which is most definitely a sloth, takes over (Don’t worry, friends, I am fully dressed as I write this).

The other huge change is not being on a deadline.  In the radio news business, everything depends on working to deadline.  News isn’t at 5 minutes to the hour (although I think they tried that once), it is traditionally on the hour so you are always writing up to that time.  Each feature runs at a specific time so you get used to watching the clock. That is a constant.  Now, I have no deadlines except to have this blog ready for publishing on Tuesdays.  This has kept me engaged and centred and I am forever grateful to BarrieToday. While it sounds great to have such freedom, I am finding it unsettling. When you have a daily job you know what is expected and what your schedule will basically look like.  Without a routine, I feel like I am just drifting and that I am not contributing to the world. If your identity is tied to your job it’s an internal struggle.

The other thing I notice is that I am now NOTICING everything — the dust, the streaks on the windows, the strings on the carpet.  I swear I have never vacuumed or mopped so much in my life.  Give me the good old days when I went to work in the dark and came home in the dark and saw nothing but the glow of my cat’s eyes and the light from the tv. Things seemed so much cleaner then because I was too tired to look.

As with every lifestyle change — there are lots of positive things too.  I have enjoyed having time to concentrate on my health and make all the necessary appointments that come with a new diabetes diagnosis.  It has helped with the diet as I can eat what and when I need to. Also, I am not catching nearly as many colds which I’m sure has to do with less human interaction with germ-laden colleagues.

Nobody was happier when I didn’t have to shovel my way out on a snow day to get to work only to inform everyone else to stay home where its safe!

Socially, it’s a gift to be able to take off mid-afternoon and grab a coffee with a friend.

The aim is not to panic.  There is a job out there.  It will come at its appointed time.  Just be open and be ready.

What every person who has found themselves in the position of being laid off has told me is to try not to worry about what is to come and to enjoy the down time. Make a new routine. The right opportunity will come at its appointed time .

I just keep repeating to myself “Keep Calm and Carry On”.


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About the Author: Wendy King

Wendy King writes about all kinds of things from nutrition to the job search from cats to clowns — anything and everything — from the ridiculous to the sublime. Watch for Wendy's column weekly.
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