Losing Work Because of COVID: What the Next Year Will Look Like

Yeah, nobody knows where the hell this is taking us. That’s true of life in general. To deal with the uncertainty, we make plans; it gives us a sense of direction and what we need to work towards.

Besides planning, only history can tell you what might be possible – especially since history repeats itself time and time again. There will always be similarities, which is how I can guess at what’s in store after this. But for exactly what will happen to me, you, and the rest of us will be a mix of what your actions bring about and what the world has in store.

Good news: it depends more on your actions than you think.

Bad news: that means more responsibility than you might be willing to shoulder.

I know I don’t want to shoulder it all some days. I have some very huge goals that are radical and downright alarming. Surprisingly, though, they haven’t shifted much at all since COVID-19 shut down society. The blog topics have shifted, as has my budgeting to include more takeout spend. I’m also not exercising as much as I did before, which I’ll need to remedy. But the rest is still chugging on, 100% because I still have my job. I’ve said before that if I was still at my previous company, I’d be SOL right now instead of doing steady WFH tasks. And the reason I left in the first place was because I knew I wanted to go for more.

First, Name What You Want

If you want any control over in the next year, it has to be self-directed. Knowing what you want out of life is the crucial first step. That might be “get a stable job again”. Feel less anxious. Be less afraid. No matter how far-fetched or stupid it might sound, it’s not. Knowing what you want is one of the best ways to feel vulnerable. You can’t just float through life if you state what you want out of it. It’s okay to feel vulnerable. It means you’re on the right track.

For several million Americans right now, I’m positive the goal is to get through this. If it’s the actual sickness. Unemployment. Domestic hardship, even violence. And fury over how things have gotten this far.

“Easy for YOU to say!” you might want to roar at me. “You’re not experiencing ANY of that in your nice house and comfy job!!!!”

You’re right, I’m not experiencing that now. I did in the past, my issues with finances and relationships took place when the economy was doing great. You’re facing a different challenge than I did, just as I’ll face a different challenge than one someone else already went through. This is about getting back up and getting shit done to get you to a better life. A richer life.

And a richer life means taking both immediate steps and long-term plans to get there.

Next Comes the Work

I’m sorry I’m putting this on your plate. I already feel existential dread about the world at large and yet there’s still this shit that needs taking care of.

This is also necessary because it reminds you there IS a future where coronavirus does not pose so dire a threat. Vaccines are in the making, smart people are flattening the curve, there is progress being done despite the government’s stumbling. Let’s prepare you now for that future so you’ll be miles ahead of the curve.

Job Prospects

Yes, some places are hiring during this panic, but they’re likely not desirable jobs. If you wanted to work for Uber, Amazon, or Domino’s I’m sure you would have been already. No shade against these companies (or at least Domino’s) but these are a far cry from jobs that can offer physical safety. Coronavirus has already caused an uproar in Amazon warehouses and who knows how often you’ll come into contact with the virus when you deliver food or people?

Our country’s system does not provide for its citizens during this time, so if you really do need to work there’s definitely the above options. But you’ve still got the option to reach for a higher-paying job. Doing this actually shielded me from the virus upheaval: My current company doesn’t plan yet for pay cuts nor layoffs, and we’re in a great position to stay that way. My former job was in luxury goods, and I don’t need to reach out to my former boss to know that’s now in the shitter. Getting a high-pay job might make you unknowingly dodge a bullet while ALSO keeping more cake in your pocket. Win fucking win.

Once the restaurants and non-essentials open up again, you’re probably going to get your job back and things will reach a new normal. But why settle for that when it’s no longer the stable gig it once was?

Financial Reckoning

If you’re like most Americans, you don’t have an emergency fund. Or much of a budget. Or anything, really, that translates to financial health. If there was ever a come-to-Jesus moment, it’s this. Get your shit together and give yourself the freedom to get through anything that comes your way, even something as unprecedented as this.

Other Shit

No matter what, there’s dishes to be washed and laundry to be done. My bathroom doesn’t stay clean just because of a pandemic. My stomach doesn’t stay full just because we should limit our grocery runs. Your work to improve your finances will have to be done in tandem with all of your other responsibilities, which sucks. If it’s becoming too much to handle, figure out what to prioritize and methodically knock em out. It’s all part of the process, as frustrating as that it.

And Then the Time

Time is an invaluable resource that too easily slips from your fingers. As social distancing has shown the extroverted crowds, time can also be mind-numbingly slow and its own form of torture when you can’t do as you wish. Once society reopens I guarantee they’ll fly out of their homes like bats out of hell, furiously attaching themselves to any excuse for gathering and recapturing closeness with others. It’s time that stands between us and then. Do your best to use it mindfully.

What will the next year hold for us? Here’s my belief: we’ll see society continue to shore up at home for the rest of April and early May, at which point businesses will either cautiously reemerge to normal or reopen with significant changes. Whatever that will look like, we will see parts of our lifestyle limp back to what it once was, albeit with a lot more masks and space.

Throughout the summer we might see the virus spike in communities that tried going back to normal too fast, serving as examples to the rest of us that our work to beat this isn’t over. And our work will not be over until there is a vaccine, I guarantee that.

There’s too many unknowns about the virus that we’re still learning. We’re guessing that getting coronavirus will leave you immune afterwards, but we don’t know for sure. We’re also guessing that it will die down in the summertime, but that’s another uncertainty. There’s also a lot of misinformation out there, like believing children are unaffected or that it’s an acceptable risk. One day we won’t have to worry about coronavirus any more than we worry about the flu. Until then, things will be up in the air as far as social enjoyments go.

What You Should Do

For those who were cut from their jobs, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Besides keeping yourself safe and healthy, you’re also tasked with finding employment once again… and something that’s preferably not going to go up in smoke like the last one. It will be a lot harder with hiring falling off a cliff, but there are still companies with good benefits looking for candidates. The advice I give in my Getting a High-Paying Job series still rings true today. Give it a gander and start following through on its advice. Plan for what you want, rework your online presence, and practice cinching that good first impression. Your year will look a lot rosier for it.

What have you been doing to prepare for the next year or so? What are you doing now to get through the tough times?