Hey, you!

Yes, you, the person currently mindlessly scrolling through LinkedIn in a panic. So, I hear you got laid off! Welcome to poverty! Sorry, that was a joke about late-stage capitalism. Anyway, you currently have no job and won’t have one in the near future.

Although I can’t say it’s good news, you’re not alone. As of August 2025, 7 million other Americans are also unemployed. I am as well, which is why I am writing this. We’re all in this together, trying to keep busy. You know, idle hands, as they say.

You and many others are experiencing this for the first time, being laid off and unemployed, or at least it’s been a long while since it’s happened. For some of us, however, this isn’t our first rodeo. I’ve been downsized, restructured, and rightsized more times than I care to count, and each time, it feels like a punch to the gut. But with each punch, I’ve learned a little more about how to get back up and strategize my next move.

It’s easy to get lost in the “what ifs” and “why mes,” but trust me, there are steps you can take right now to regain control and navigate this transition. From someone who has experienced it multiple times, I’ve compiled a list of 12 things you should do after being laid off. It’s not a magic bullet, but it’s a roadmap to help you regain control and get on the path to what’s next.

1. Feel your feelings.

• You don’t have to be brave or stoic. Whether it’s anger, sadness, fear, or even a weird sense of relief, let it wash over you. We’re talking full-on ugly crying, stress eating, or rage-cleaning, whatever helps you process.

2. The 24-Hour Rule: Step Away from Major Decisions.

• Before you impulsively sell your kidney on the black market or create an OnlyFans to show your ankle, give yourself a whole day just to be. This isn’t the time to make life-altering choices. Your brain is in a fog, and important decisions need a clear head. The 24-Hour Rule is a strategy designed to prevent impulsive decisions that you might later regret. It allows you to gain perspective and make more rational choices about your future.

3. Read the fine print (a.k.a the paperwork).

• Layoffs come with paperwork. It’s boring, full of legalese, and probably makes your eyes glaze over. But it is essential to go through it and read all of it. Severance, benefits, and non-compete agreements: Understand what you’re signing. If it’s too much, have a trusted friend (or, ideally, a lawyer) review it.

4. Budget.

• This is where you regain some control. Figure out what money is coming in and what’s going out. It’s not about deprivation; it’s about knowing your runway. This will help you sleep better at night and prevent you from accidentally buying a limited-edition Beanie Baby Labubu as an investment.

5. Get your check-ups and meds refilled.

• Before your benefits run out, get those annual physicals, eye exams, and dental cleanings done. Especially making sure to refill any prescriptions. You don’t want a medical emergency adding to your stress, and COBRA is expensive.

6. Milk those employee benefits and discounts while you can.

• Did your old company have a 25% discount with Apple? A corporate phone plan deal? Maybe even an employee assistance program for counseling? Use them! This is your last chance to squeeze every last drop of value out of your former employer.

7. Limit your time on LinkedIn.

• Seriously, it’s a hotbed of “thought leaders,” humble-brags, and bots slinging some of the worst AI Slop you can imagine. You don’t need that negativity right now. While it might be helpful for job searching later, for now, it’s a productivity trap that will only worsen your mood.

8. No, seriously, limit your time on LinkedIn.

• I wasn’t kidding. If you find yourself endlessly scrolling, comparing, and despairing, it’s time to log off. Go for a walk, read a book, watch a silly movie: anything but more LinkedIn.

9. Dream big, but plan realistically for new skills.

• This is a great time to learn something new, but don’t commit to becoming a brain surgeon by next Tuesday. Pick a skill that genuinely interests you and is achievable. It could be coding, learning a new language, or finally beating your old high score in Tetris: small wins have a significant impact.

10. Cope, but don’t cope.

• What I mean by this is to acknowledge your feelings and seek healthy ways to manage them. But don’t use “coping” as an excuse to avoid dealing with the actual situation. A pint of ice cream is a cope; eating a pint of ice cream every night for a month while ignoring your job search is not coping.

11. Share or don’t share: Your feelings, your choice.

• If you have a trusted circle of friends or family, lean on them for support. Talk about what you’re going through. But if you’re more of a private person, that’s okay too. Just make sure you have some outlet, even if it’s journaling or talking to a therapist. Bottling it all up is a recipe for disaster.

12. It’s not personal. It’s business (and often, bad business).

• This is the hardest one to internalize. It’s easy to feel like you’ve done something wrong, that you weren’t productive or your effort wasn’t good enough, but the vast majority of layoffs are a business decision that has little to do with your individual performance. It stings, but try to remember: it’s not a reflection of your worth. It’s about their worth. You may also find that colleagues you considered close become distant or ghost you. This can be painful, but it serves as a stark reminder that work relationships, while important, are not the same as family.

A layoff is like an unexpected plot twist in a novel, but it doesn’t mean that it has to be the end of your story. It’s just a break in one particular chapter of your life. A break that could lead you down paths you never considered: a new career, a passion project, or even a much-needed mental rest. Think of it as the universe gently (or not so gently) nudging you towards something even better. You’re resilient, resourceful, and stronger than you give yourself credit for. So grab another (budget-friendly) coffee, and get ready for the unexpected opportunities that are waiting just around the corner. You’re going to be more than good; you’re going to be okay.