I’ve tried to accept that I could be cut any day and just live with it. I’ve been focusing on job searching, but that’s only made me feel more depressed. I can’t shake the spikes of anxiety, and I’m barely sleeping. This has dragged on for so long that it’s taken a real toll on my ability to cope. A couple of days ago I realized I can’t even switch off for an hour. Nothing holds my attention long enough for my brain to actually rest. How are you all dealing with this?
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Unfortunately, you are not alone.
think about what youre truly scared off. our brain often forgets the worst case scenario, and gets anxious about all the steps leading up to it.
youre worried about getting laid off. why? then break that down. for many the worry is really financial... if its financial, how much outgoings do you have? do you need them? are you around long enough to get 6 months (for US, more for others) payout? if so, how would that help your financial situation and how long would it last?
a lot of the time the cycle of anxiety is completely irrational. break down and write down the actual details of what youre worried about. figure out what within that you can control.
I know it's cliche but focus on what you can control. Whatever Dell does or the market does is out of your sphere. How's your skill set? That's what I wished I had focused on before I got laid off. Start upskilling in things in demand to help you get noticed by recruiters. And start getting active on LinkedIn. Run your profile through an LLM and tell it to make it attractive to recruiters and buzzword friendly.
Take advantage of the limited Dell mental health benefit.
Seek out a counselor to discuss these feelings. I’m not trying to minimize them, I get it, but you can’t let them take over your life. Some things you can’t control but you can get help in coping with the feelings.
I wish you the best of luck and hope that things work out in your favor.
This is why my evening doinks have doubled in circumference in the last couple years.
Worrying about the layoff and clinging to your job at Dell is the worst part of the process. I was WFRed a year ago, and my mental and physical health bottomed out during that last phase. Believe me when I say that eventually getting your WFR will be a positive. It was a wakeup call and a catalyst to make a lot of positive changes.
It's hard to commit fully to job search and making a change, but try to reclaim your time and deploy your energy to bettering yourself and boosting your value on the job market. Really commit to doing it.
Here's a list: optimize the heck out of your resume (consider a temporary sub to an AI resume tool), build STAR stories for every part of your resume and practice them. Develop your story. 90% of job interviews start with "Tell me about yourself". This could be the most important 4 sentences you have worked on in years. Study the heck out of job postings in your field. Dell is a bad place, and there's a high chance that your skills have atrophied or gone stale. Whatever gaps you see in job postings are going to be your areas to grind trainings, certifications, AI learning plans, youtube videos, prep classes, etc.
Focus on your physical health. Go to the gym. Walk around constantly. Cut the alcohol. Invest in your grooming as if you were going to job interviews - skincare, update your professional wardrobe, good haircut, etc.
Use Dell's toxicity as the motivation to double and triple down on yourself.
I get a lot of liquid copium from my best friend Jack Daniels. That and the fact that over the 25 years I have been in the workforce (not all at dell) I have managed to set aside year's worth of house payments are all that's keeping me sane.
It's hard af to do this, especially with a job that pays your bills, rent, and livlihood but... the ONLY thing you can do is worry about the now and present. Quit worrying about what you cannot control. If you get laid off then you'll have to figure it out from there but constantly worrying about it won't make your life better.
I recomend updating your resume and looking for new jobs - AND applying - every so often, just in case. I feel the same way as you tbh. I hate the stress of knowing that layoffs are CONSTANT at dell and knowing that nobody is truly "safe" - for the most part...
I do my job and do it well. I make it known to the important people I'm good at what I do and that's that. I keep myself slightly above the average employee on my team. As in I go above and beyond here and there but not too often so as to keep a lower profile in general. I ramp up my game 100% for about 2-3 months twice a year tbh lol. From May to August I'm volunteering for cr-p, doing things I don't have to do, working after hours, etc... because Aug/Sept is "layoff season." And then I do the same from October - February before the other "layoff season."
From what I've seen the last 6-8 years or so, more often than not those who get laid off are usually in two categories.
A) Hard to get along with and/or have tendencies to complicate things but aren't bad employees. Just cause unnecessary drama, confussion or things like that.
B) older employees and/or senior level employees - Older as in age and years at dell. I see more people let go who are 50+ and have been at dell for 15+ years than anything else...
MONEY has everything to do with layoffs 99% of the time. Why get rid of 4 i6 employees when you can get rid of 2 i9's and save the same money? The more you make, the bigger the target is on your back for being laid off IMPO.
Tell him that he is the role model of your 8 year old son and that he should do what it takes to show his son how not to give up in case of adversity and to show the family, you and your son, that he cares about you through his actions and that you love him and care about him and you want him to be the protector of the family and that a job does not define him in your eyes as you married the man not the job.
Being jobless makes many men feel worthless and it is hard for them to keep their confidence, believe me.
This kind of conversation might reach to his heart and cause him to shed some tears and help him pull himself together as he might gain some confidence.
@a3 tell the kid to go to father when you start screaming which should keep him safe.
Vodka
paper or plastic???
@a3 Hopefully this never happens to you
My husband has been jobless for over 2.5 years. He just sits with his laptop all day, does nothing around the house, and is gaining weight. I’ve lost all patience. It’s not even about money anymore — it’s hard to watch him do nothing. I have a decent job, but not enough to save. I scream out of frustration. I’m scared for my 8-year-old son. We should I do?
Try mindfulness techniques.Learn to focus on your breathing starting small like 10 minutes at a time.
Look at what is important to you and make sure you have a plan. Talk to your loved ones about what would happen and what the worst scenario would be.
You might be surprised how much they care about you and about your well being.
Start exercising/ sweating 2 times a week. It is at this time where the mild physical pain prevents the mi d from worrying and you should feel better about it.
Pay some charity and do some good to the less fortunate. It will come back to help you.
Good luck to you.