So I’ve come to an agreement and no longer required at work.
Which means that I now have about 8 weeks to find alternative employment.

Which I’m sure that this would ring alarm bells for others, as the situation was not good at work which did not help with depression I actually feel free.

Just eed to focus on finding a new job but think thst I will find it difficult being out of the social environment of an office. On the horizon for my days are all the little diy jobs to get done. Search for jobs. Ride my bike and do some reading around my old uni notes to freshen up a bit.

Just sitting here feeling a bit strange really. So anyone got tips for coping? Or suggestions for job searching these days or about for a ride in the South East greatly appreciated!

Take the job hunting and diy easy the first week. Enjoy the freedom and focus on the benefits to your mood and wellbeing. Ride your bike, enjoy the start of a new life.

And best of luck with the job hunting. It may take time, maybe look at volunteering opportunities in a field that interests you in the meantime to give you some structure, direction and a sense of accomplishment.

Cheers. Think I will do to a point. Keeping a lookout for jobs which I’ll ramp up the further in I go.

Did think about volunteering so that’s a good suggestion.

Also got a mortgage and children to sort out. If it comes to it I’ll do anything to pay the bills

get yourself into a regime of some sort, otherwise the time can just dribble away

I was made redundant – and was delighted – but I kept it together by getting up at a decent hour on weekdays, listing out the things I needed to do each day and sticking to it. Stick in going for a paper and coffee each morning, bit of gardening and sessions of work search.

Simples and good luck

The freedom is weird, out of work. You’re free to do what you want with your days, but still have the pressure of finding a job… still better than working, apart from, as you say, the social side of the office. I managed to keep social contact with my old work colleagues by playing football with them once a week, Really miss that!
The government job search site is good, I’d recommend signing up for that – it gathers jobs from numerous agencies, and has really wide coverage. Put “universal jobmatch” into google.

Finding a job is like a job in itself, put the hours in, talk to all your contacts and keep it structured. Enjoy what spare time you have but don’t get too used to it.

Already started talking to contacts and dusted off my CV. Now looking for the spare tubes for my ride tomorrow.

I found myself punted out of a job last June, and while there was trepidation, it was with a huge sense of relief I walked home after being escorted around to collect my bits and bobs. The last year or so had been utter misery, not far off workplace bullying, and plenty of others have just chucked in their jobs since I left, I’ve found.
Having been in prints and pre-press for nearly forty years, it was scary, I had few skills that would be applicable to web-based work, so I went and signed on and spent some significant time searching the ‘net for a little driving job, but absolutely NO courier work.
Just by chance I spotted a driving job in the box at the bottom of the page on here that responds to searches that looked vaguely interesting, replied with a copy of my limited CV quite late on a Tuesday evening, and got a call at 9am the next morning, asking if I could take part in a conference call at 11am.
I get the call, answer a bunch of questions, at the end I’m told that my team leader would be picking me up at 4.30am the next morning!
I’m still doing the job, and really enjoying it, I’m seeing more of the country than at any time in my life, and there’s little to no stress.
Just sheer chance, and it’s made a huge difference, so keep looking around, the ideal job can come out of nowhere.

I’ve been in hours shoes op, I’d recommend having SOME fun by riding etc, doing stuff you’d regret not doing. But keep up the job search, and don’t get too pissed.

Where in the South East?

Agree on trying to keep up a routine, I ‘retired’ a few years ago and after two weeks nearly went mental, so rekindled a business to keep an interest in something to continue the use of the grey matter (and to fend off SWMBO desire to turn me into a lacky).

Cheers for the positive stories. It’ll br easy to not sleep in as kids still need to go to school.

Keeping my eyes open for anything and already seeing morr opotunities.

Will have to do something pro active most days I think.

Oh yeah I’m based in Kent.

You may as well tell us what you did and what you want to do..

, I ‘retired’ a few years ago and after two weeks nearly went mental

Seriously?? I had loads to occupy my days, would so love to have been able to retire!

Sounds like your best off out of there op – this is a new beginning for you.

Unfortunately been in this situation a couple of times over the last year. The first time I put down to bad luck and a shitty company. When it happened again it hit me pretty hard. Some thoughts from my experience;

Keep structure in your day. Get out of bed the same time you would, and set a time you will start ‘work’ and stick to it.
This is the time for job searching – i found linked in jobs good. Sign up with relevant agencies early on. Think about temping or contracting for a bit if you can. I’m actually temping now (chance of perm down the line). It’s a great way to keep money coming in, and experience different environments and industries. I’ve realised the industry I was in might seem attractive from the outside (video games) but is pretty **** up. Make sure your CV is top notch before sending it out, and be able to talk through everything on it confidently. Make sure you have a positive narrative for how you are in the situation you’re in now, even if it means bending the truth a little. It took me a good few weeks of putting the effort in before things started to happen, but it did eventually? – stick with it even when it seems things aren’t happening. If you’ve got a partner or family it can put a lot of stress on home life – be sensitive to this. I wasn’t very good at talking about it as I was ashamed of my situation, bit when I did people were great. Make sure you enjoy some of your free time aswell – do the school run, meet friends for coffee, go for walks etc. And ride your bike! I set one week day a week where I would be out on the bike all day from dropping kids at school to pick up. Managed a few 100 mile+ road rides in preparation for a coast to coast next month.

Good luck, and feel free to drop me a message if I can help. Like I say I have some experience here!

the first week – Enjoy the freedom and focus on the benefits to your mood and wellbeing. Ride your bike, enjoy the start of a new life.

Slight edit from me. The above makes sense. Have a week off. Enjoy yourself.

Then, get stuck in. Job hunting is work, treat it as such. OK, doesn’t need to be quite as 9-5 as an ordinary job, but have a schedule, have a plan. Work at it.

Also, work. Just do something. There is work out there, so go and do something part time, or around the rest of your life. I was out of work a few years ago, got some work back in the bike industry. I told them I was looking at ‘proper’ jobs, they understood. I gave them a whole load of expertise that they wouldn’t have been able to buy at the wage they were paying me. We both benefited. When I was interviewing for the aforementioned ‘proper’ jobs, being able to say I was working, and at something I enjoyed, was far better than being out of work.

Good luck!

Oh yeah I’m based in Kent.

Gods own County, near which town? 😉

Day off a week riding sounds good after this week.

Located near Tunbridge Wells, if anyone fancies a ride with someone who’s not in top for (yet).

I’m an Electronics Engineer.

Who’s just getting ready for the firsy school run in years!

Apparently there is a shortage of engineers. So should be ok.