“I don’t know how long it’s been going on, I don’t know how long the colors were changing to gray…” from Michelle Branch’s “This Way”
Sometimes it hits us by surprise when a layoff comes, or when a change in our responsibilities comes along. In the economic climate of today, it is easy to be hit by surprise, but it is so important to remain confident and positive that something better may come along, or that the change came for a reason.
I believe in the concept of planned obsolescence. The concept of lifetime employment is a thing of the past for many. Doing things at your job to help plan your own “demise” can open you up to a whole new world of possibilities.
Recently, I let go of one of my side businesses because it no longer supported my goals and dreams (and just as importantly did not support the expense to keep it going). It has now freed up my time to focus on my teaching, my writing, and all the things that generate profit and possibility.
In a prior role, I had the responsibility to take over the labor schedules for 4 departments and be the sole contributor to the process. I was taken out of the operation to do the work of 4 people. Upon having a few months to really look at the process deeply, I realized that by using technology and good systems, I could still perform the job but also go back to the operation.
If I had been less confident in my abilities, and less confident that I’d still have a job, I might not have done what I did. But I knew in my heart of hearts that it was the right thing to do.
Likewise, I recently had a friend tell me that her company was going through layoffs. She knew how efficient she could be by working from home, and offered to take a pay cut in exchange for working from home and being available 4 days a week instead of 5. She now has the ability to get her business going and work on other assignments that 5th day.
Think about how you can plan to “fire” yourself; you may find it helps prepare yourself in the event someone decides to let you go first.
