This blog is called Escape Nine to Five for a reason, and we are advocates of the fact that sitting behind a desk in a room full of people might not be the only way to spend your days, but we also know that in the real world, people have jobs, rely on their jobs, and unfortunately, they lose their jobs. In this time of economic instability, losing your job is a problem that tons of people are facing day to day, but it is by no means the end of the world. This article is designed to get you back on the straight and narrow. So what are your next options after losing a job?

The first steps to take after losing a job are probably financial. You need to make sure you’re covered for a while. You may have some savings you can dip into a bit (knowing you’ll recoup them one day) or you might have a loan that you can take a payment holiday on. Cut back wherever possible on the bills and try not to spend more than you have to, remember, the best things in life are free. As well as cutting back, you should make sure you get what you’re entitled to, you may be entitled to benefits for looking after any children you might have, or just job seekers allowance if you’re looking after yourself, every little helps.

The next thing to worry about is your mental wellbeing. It’s important not to freak out at this point! You can’t change the past, you just need to move on and take the best steps possible for the future. Try not to have any regrets, they wont help you out in any way, shape or form. Keeping yourself busy is another important part of losing a job. You need to be out and about, doing things, making moves for the future in order to keep your head in the right place. Try making strides towards the future and forgetting the bad bits of the past.

Of course, a job search may be on the cards now, and this can be a daunting prospect, especially if your skillset is quite specialist. You may have to settle for less than you would like at the start, but remember that it isn’t forever, and that it is a means to an end to get you back to where you need to be in life. Even if you just take a part time job to help you pay the bills, it serves to help financially and also to get you back in the working environment, even if you do have to move down a few rungs on the ladder, there is no shame in this.

For the luckier among us, we may be able to take time out. Perhaps you’ve been given a redundancy package, or you’ve got enough money saved to take a breather. Enjoy escaping the nine to five for a while, pursue a hobby, or even better, start a business! Even if you do intend to get a job too, you can always run a small business on the side and make some extra money, who knows, this might just be the wakeup call you need to be the next Richard Branson.