We are getting news daily of the numbers being laid off from prominent tech companies. Perhaps you have been laid off or know someone who has. What seemed so secure a year ago, now has the industry shaken. How can we overcome the inevitable stress that comes with these uncertain times? Anxiety is our brain telling us that we are in danger and that we need to do something about it. While we cannot fix the industry problem, we can do some things to manage until this situation has passed.
Pursue Community
- Talk about your anxiety. Take the time to express what you are processing with your therapist, friends, coworkers, and manager. Relief can come from sharing worry with others. Let the people around you encourage you and help you figure out what is next.
- Be there for someone else. As difficult as it may be to try to help someone else when you feel like you are struggling, it is helping you too. Your friends and coworkers are affected by the layoffs as well. When I hear someone else’s story, it puts into perspective my own and relieves some of my anxiety. We can get through hard times as a team.
Prioritize Self-Care
- Breathe. Personally, anxiety makes me feel like I am being suffocated. I like to look up breathing exercises on YouTube and follow along. If that’s not your style, then try playing your favorite happy songs and singing along. Singing forces your body to inhale and take longer exhales. It’s also a great mental distraction from worrying.
- Move. Even if it’s cold weather, try to bundle up and go for a walk. Fresh air and natural light can do so much to lower anxiety. It also gives me a sense that the world is much bigger and more beautiful than the problems I am facing right now. If going outside isn’t an option, then I recommend dancing. Moving in silly ways to fun music makes me smile and somehow makes the situation feel smaller.
Pivot
- Research. Find out what the tech industry is needing right now and where trends are heading. Talk to a talent specialist about which skills they are looking for. Do you want to stay close to your current skill set or is it time to start something entirely new?
- Plan. With your new information, talk to your manager and set some new goals that will make you more valuable in the industry. Commit to the process and see what happens.
- Prepare. Update your resume, your LinkedIn profile, and practice those code challenges. Even if you do not have to use them, it feels reassuring to have them ready.
Anxiety is a call to action. Pursuing community, self-care, and planning are all actions that you are in control of. You are doing your best, and you are valuable. There is enough work out there, but we may have to make some changes to qualify. If we view these challenging times as an opportunity for growth, we will be so much more skilled than we could have imagined. In all transparency, I will be heartbroken if for some reason I cannot stay at a job I love. However, we all have each other to encourage and learn from. This is only a season, friends.
