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Coping Strategies for a New Job and Work Schedule |
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Coping Strategies for a New Job and Work Schedule
Adjust to a different commute. Learn the ropes. Befriend coworkers. Handle a new boss.
No doubt you weighed these and other dynamics of changing jobs or returning to work after a period of unemployment. But now that you've accepted the offer, it’s time to consider the other ways the new job may affect your personal life. Even the basics of a daily job routine can trigger significant adjustments. Your schedule and priorities will change for everyone around you: partners or spouses, kids, parents and even friends. From alarm clock settings to deciding whether dinner is homemade or takeout, tell yourself (and any other people in your home) that flexibility and change will be part of your new work schedule. Follow a New Work Schedule Take some time before Day One to review non-work commitments and make a list to decide which, if any, may need to be scaled back or changed. What obligations can be shifted to others? For example, could home delivery for groceries or carpooling kids with a friend or neighbor give you some flexibility? Asking for help is vital but can be difficult, particularly for those returning to work after being a family caregiver, says Marjorie Freundlich, a career adviser in Needham, Massachusetts. “The lifestyle changes may mean letting go of control of taking care of your children after school, for instance, and using childcare instead,” she says. “Or with household jobs, redistributing work within the family or hiring help if it’s affordable.”
If you’ve had a long stretch being at home or out of work, your family and friends may have expectations about your availability. Beyond the day-to-day logistics and recalibration, the right mix of work, friends, hobbies, home and family should come together organically. So as your work routine evolves, plan for and meet the added demands on your time.
Beyond the relief of a steady income, beware of financial surprises. Look out for taxes due on unemployment benefits or a spending spree that can undo months of frugality. New clothes, a spa visit or other nice-to-do expenses may feel like a reward but should only come after you’ve managed the essentials.
Greta Roberts, owner of Target Teams Inc., cautions that "there is a ‘grass is greener’ phase" when changing jobs. Just because things are different doesn’t make them better or worse -- and it can be hazardous to cling to the glory days of a shorter commute, simpler routine or familiar workload. “It’s like you never left if you keep looking back," she says. "That was a different place and a different time. Companies want people who are looking forward and want to contribute to change.” |