[BSH]

......... and I have no idea how I will fill my days.

Monday will be my last day in my current job and having worked for the last 27 years I am beginning to wonder what I am going to do, so I am after some suggestions

I don't have a much of a plan at the moment, except to get up at around the same time and go to the gym ........... then what.

The fence and shed need painting which should take me about a week, so I need to make sure I don't spend my days on the internet

Apart from the fencing I don't do DIY and I can't spend everyday in the dive shop as I will end up spending too much money.

Need to plan some dives though.

 

[Buoyant Babe]

Bugger, sorry to hear that it has turned out that way Fiona. :frown: :girlhug:

need to make sure I don't spend my days on the internet

I'd start right now by chaining your PC up


Love Hxxx

 

[BSH]

Thanks Helen, to be honest it was always going to end this way. We just had to play the game while they worked out what to do.

I have already spent more of my money than I had really intended but I do need another Heser backup light thanks Jack @ Dublinbay and I also now need a couple of Halcyon smbs to replace my Buddy crack bottle.

Oh and I am going to the Redsea with Di Mal and Mike in June

Right off to Divelife to spend some money

 

[19696]

Ditto... sorry to hear that.

A few years ago, i spent about 4 months not working, and in the time leading up to it, i didn't know what I would do with my time. I ended up doing these things...

Gym (you are already going to do that )
Learning (there are loads of places you can go to do something interesting)
Voluntary work - There is always someone worse off, and it is worht reminding ourselves of that from time to time.
Millions of jobs round the house & garden.
Went to all those local places I had never visited but other people came from miles away to see.

Having the occasional lie in. I limited it to once a week plus weekends. It was good to be able to lie in, but it is easy to get into a rut.

Mosr importantly, it won't last forever, so enjoy it while you can

 

[jorawley]

Sorry to hear that fiona. I take it your still attneding interviews...

- Take a room at a time to organise and minimalise with an area set aside for things to sell and things to bin.

- Does brett need any help in the shop? even if its a couple of days a week?

 

[Richard Mason]

If it was me (which I know it's not), I'd be getting on my pushbike and using the time to build up my fitness by doing a bit, then a bit more each day, so that in a month or two, I could do some big rides.

Apart from a few spare parts, it's free (unlike the gym) and every minute on there is improving your fitness and endurance.

One of the reasons I'm not as fit as I'd like to be is lack of time; when it's daylight, I'm working. When I'm back from work, I'm too knackered and at the weekend, I don't get much time to myself anyway.

I'd welcome some free time, just to be able to work up to getting fit again.

 

[Lou]

I think I would set a date to go and visit Lou & C

 

[Ding Dang Doo]

Fiona,

how about setting up your own business? I was in a similar situation to you a few months ago.... then saw an opportunity and went for it... okay, so I've only done a month so far, but it has been great at times, frustrating at times and down right demoralising at times... but, I'm my own boss... have a think, there must be something you can turn your hand to?

Think about it

Whatever you decide, it will be the right thing!

Pete

 

[Kent Tooling]

Fiona

Sorry to here about being made reduntant, I would surgest yo have a break for a few months but dont get into a habit of not getting out of bed at lunch time.

When i left my previous job to start help running Kent Tooling i thought it would be nice to have a lie in some times BUT i decided to get into a rutean of getting up at the same time as i was before when i was working at the factory.

Good luck what ever you decide to do, OH yes you can always become a TEA PERSON :teeth: on the new boat if you need something to pass the time away

 

[Digger]

Diving kiddo. I would get in touch with some dive centres in the sun, this time of year is perfect. Then I would offer to work for them doing try dives or filling tanks and being an assistant on courses half the time in return for going diving the other half of the time. They would most likely provide accomodation, you just need to pay for beer and maybe a bit of dinner. You could do that for a couple of months easy, and if you enjoy it you could carry on being a dive bum. My 3 months in Cyprus originally cost me about a grand plus courses. So quite a lot of holiday of sorts for not a lot of money.

Either that or you could come and do my cleaning auntie. The new flat needs a dusting every now and again and my shirts need ironing.

One thing I've known a few mates do is to go from one place to the next visiting everybody you know in Europe. They drove thousands of miles over months, but just sent about a million e-mails out and made rough plans (ie found out when wouldn't be ok for different people) and then just moved from one mates place to another. When you find yourself having a good time and comfortable you stay a week, when you're stuck in the hall and they're at work all day then you stay a night. Simple. And you can dive everywhere you know on the way. That is what I would do right now if it happened, especially with a few quid behind me. All you'd need is a really good camp bed and a decent sleeping bag, and some washing powder. Oh, and petrol. And dive gear.

Or you could get yourself out to Lebanon and sort me out a dive trip.

Digs.

 

[BSH]

I think I would set a date to go and visit Lou & C

That sounds like a darn fine idea, when you have got rid of your Mum and Dad let me know and I'll be right down


I think if I spend any more time at Brett's I will be penniless

 

[Josie]

Good luck with finding a new job Fi. I finished my cv this week and have started to look for jobs. The first one I saw (that was perfect as well) had a closing date of 28th (ie yesterday). Sent my cv off on Friday morning and got an email back to say that they had filled the post already. Cheeky eh!!

You're welcome to come down and visit us if you fancy - although we're miles from the sea!! I'm up at 6 most days with wee Cam (or should I say not so wee Cam!) but manage a nap most days.

Take care and good luck. Hope you enjoy your time out!

Josie

 

[purple vonny]

If you want to go and do something entirely different that will make a difference, contact:

HSPCCO Website - Home

You can go and help out for a week or a month or how ever long you like. It's a fantastic organistion.

When I took my voluntary gap year, I worked abroad for no pay and did loads of diving, that was scarey, giving up wages and eeking a living from comission and tips, but I wouldn't change a thing about the decision. It gives a whole new perspective on what is important.

When I got home and was waiting to move house, I filled my days by visiting people I hadn't seen for ages, doing odd jobs, writing letters, clearing my house out, getting rid of things I hadn't used for years (selling and giving them away) and doing things that I always wished I had time for.

I also did the BSAC instructor crossover and taught a lot and tried to improve my diving skills.

When I got to Weymouth, I got 3 jobs in week by just going into places I liked and introducing myself. I now have a total of 4 jobs and none of them were advertised. None pays well and one is voluntary but my quality of life is so much better than the last 30-odd years slaving in a career.

I hope this redundancy is a blessing in disguise for you, it will open up a lot of opportunities and will enable you to follow your dreams.

Good luck.

 

[cosmo]

Sorry to hear about the unemployment but lots here have given you brilliant ideas. Took a career change from engineering into teaching 5 years ago - all because of being made redundant so it can be done but whatever you do enjoy it. I now have a brilliant new job - I love going to work and I get more time to dive than I did before.

Good luck


Cosmo

 

[Dave Crampton]

Fiona,

As you have a number of years experience, had you thought about doing your old job but as a contractor? You must know a few companies who do something similar, who might want ba contractor. Many will pay contractors more then their staff, althought you pay your own tax and NI.

Dave C

 

[672]

sorry to hear yor a bit lost with it all fi

hope you dont spend much time in a state of stessis ! and are able to move

forward faster than a bullet !!

after all 27 years of working about to come to an end is very difficult to come to

terms with, but again you only have to look to y-d to see the support your getting

best wishes with what ya choose and hope it goes to plan !!

best wishes leigh

 

[louigi]

if I know you at all

If I know you at all, the unemployed thing will last about 3weeks and you will of found somthing else to pass the time.

have fun for a while at least
Best of luck :teeth:
Lou

 

[rick]

Filling your day

I'm in the same position as you. Just 4 weeks left to work before being made redundant.
I made the mistake of mentioning to my family I didn't know what I was going to do once I lost my job.
My wife now wants the house decorated. My younger daughter wants me to put up shelves in her house. My elder daughter wants me to knock down her garage before she gets her extension built. My step daughter wants me to build some cupboards for her. And I've been 'booked' for 3 days to look after my grand children.
Should have just stayed quite.
Wonder how I ever had time to go to work.
And I thought I was going diving............ha.

 

[JonP]

Must be something in the air. I'm being made redundant in July after 24 years with the same company. I'm looking on it as an opportunity, and have spoken to a few people who all say redundancy was a blessing in disguise. It is a strange and slightly scary feeling though.

Plan to spend some time in between job hunting catching up on the millions of things round the house I never have time for, and if they run out might look at voluntary work - both as a rewarding thing to do, and also looks better on a CV that a few months of sitting at home.

Oh, and I might go diving

 

[Snash]

Must be something in the air. I'm being made redundant in July after 24 years with the same company. I'm looking on it as an opportunity, and have spoken to a few people who all say redundancy was a blessing in disguise. It is a strange and slightly scary feeling though.

Plan to spend some time in between job hunting catching up on the millions of things round the house I never have time for, and if they run out might look at voluntary work - both as a rewarding thing to do, and also looks better on a CV that a few months of sitting at home.

Oh, and I might go diving

More room for another one......

As of Wednesday, I'm part of the dole queue as well... and all I can say is "huzza huzza".... Wont go into details on here though.

Yes, it is scary but I am of the opportunity knocks club. First I have to get over my slipped disc op and then find a job, but in between I am going to enjoy it (and try not and think too much about the scary side....). I am also lucky that Jo is in work and is supportive of me taking my time.

Hmm, once she starts banging on about the decorating, thats the time to dust off the CV .

I have never been unemployed before, but it is now a fact of life that this happens all the time and it is not viewed as it used to be.

I guess I also need to find out whether I need to sign on to preserve pensions etc and what happens if I do and what happens if I dont.

Given there are a number of us, we should organise a YD UB40 gig - although it will have to wait until July when I back diving (given my back op) and by that time I will probably be the only one who is unemployed :redface:

Simon