there are a few things that people who are considering funemployment should consider before resigning from their jobs. in no particular order (though perhaps subconsciously in the order of what i’m freaking out about the most):
1) plan your finances: you know how with gravity, everything that goes up, must come down? that’s not true with money: my finances continue to go up even AFTER resigning. oh wait, what? that’s NOT how that works? OH. OK. FML. if you’re seriously considering leaving your job, formulate a budget that’s as specific as can possibly be. not an oh-i-think-i-should-have-enough-to-last-me-five-months guestimation budget but a i-am-not-getting-that-candy-bar-cause-i-need-to-eat-dinner-tomorrow for realz budget (and that’s for realz with a “z” it’s so real).
2) do one thing at a time…: it’s so important to have a plan of action that leads to your resignation up until the year following. like my budget, i had a general idea of what i wanted to do, but not too many specifics. now i’m freaking out about what the next step is. planning will also relieve a lot of unnecessary stress. my last few weeks were pretty jam-packed and if i could do it over again, i’d avoid moving out and resigning at the same time. it took an unexpected emotional and physical toll trying to finish everything up at once. i wonder if that has anything to do with why i’ve been sleeping at 12 am and getting up at 12 pm lately? oh no — that’s just cause i can (points for funemployment!).
3) … but don’t waste time: i do feel bad for sleeping in late because as much as people tell me to enjoy my free time, there’s no such thing as FREE time. my time should be spent doing everything that i’ve wanted to do, but didn’t have time to do. for instance, that little goal i set three years ago to write a play? remember THAT willbur?!
4) chill out: ok – they call it funemployment for a reason. don’t freak out. do try to enjoy the things that folks stuck in their crappy cubicles behind cramped desks can’t enjoy doing. for instance, sunbathe in the san francisco “summer” sunshine; see movies at matinee prices; eat at ike’s while the line is short; take naps every five hours… etc.
5) be confident: if you’re generally a capable, hardworking, and intelligent person, you’ll know when you’ll need to get your nicely, toned, booty (thanks to dance classes and lunges) back to work-for-pay. i’ve been doubting my abilities A LOT lately and the market just seems ultra-scary now that i’m removed from the workforce. in those moments, i just close my eyes and remember all the incompetent people i’ve encountered in my lifetime holding down jobs – even supervisory and managerial positions – and all my doubts of never finding a job again vanish!
Will Dao 