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Career Change After Redundancy: Healthy Habits to Bounce Forward Faster


Healthy Habits for Redundancy

This post is taken from the Goddess of Balance Podcast. Find the links to listen now at the bottom of the post.


The Emotional Rollercoaster of Redundancy

The job market is tough right now. Redundancies are everywhere, and if you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been impacted too. Either directly, or with the redundancy ripple.


Redundancy is a unique kind of change. We like to imagine that we’ll feel sad for a day or two, sleep on it, then wake up ready to “get back on the horse.” Reality? It’s messier. The process is a rollercoaster - swinging between hope and fear, energy and exhaustion. And that’s normal.

But here’s the good news: the way you support your body and mind right now can help you bounce forward faster, not just “get through” this season.


Healthy Habits to Anchor You

When work is suddenly stripped away, your daily structure can crumble. Here’s how to build habits that hold you steady and restore your sense of control.


1. Move Your Body Every Day 🏃‍♀️

Movement isn’t just about fitness, it’s about regulating mood and stress. Whether it’s a coastal walk, a gym session, yoga, or dancing in the kitchen, physical activity helps:

  • Process adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones)

  • Clear brain fog so you can focus on job search tasks

  • Build confidence and energy for networking

If you can, make it social: walk with a friend, or join our Balance Walks to get connection + fresh air + mindset boost all in one.


2. Honour Your Energy and Rest

Redundancy can leave you feeling guilty for not being “productive” enough - but rest is productive. Sleep, naps, and downtime restore the brain so you can make better decisions.

Try setting micro-goals for the day (three small wins) so you can rest without guilt after you’ve ticked them off.

Recognise if you need deeper care. As coaches, there are times that we'll recommend a person pause the coaching process, to work through the psychological blocks that are suspending them in the past. Therapy, EAP, Beyond Blue, even hypnotherapy. There's no one size fits all, but there are resources to help. Dig a little. Reach out to us if you get stuck.


3. Build Your “Not Doing” List

Now you have time, you might feel the urge to fill every hour with chores, projects, or doom-scrolling. Fight that urge.

Write a “Not Doing” list - a simple list of things you’re intentionally not taking on right now. It might include:

  • Over-researching job boards

  • Checking ex-colleagues’ LinkedIn updates

  • Taking on massive home projects that drain your energy

This is your season to focus on career change, healthy habits, and emotional resilience - not distraction.


4. Practise the “Did Great” Habit

Every single day, jot down one thing you did well - even if it was just “sent one job application” or “went for a walk.”

Why? Because what we focus on expands. This is grounded in positive psychology research - science shows that focusing on what’s working boosts resilience and reduces stress. Focusing on what’s working builds confidence and momentum, which you desperately need during a job search.

The Did Great Habit was my Amazon number one bestselling book. It got there because its a strategy hundreds of my clients found success with. It's a power hit.


5. Stay Connected (Even When You Want to Hide)

Isolation is common after job change. It’s tempting to avoid social interactions because you don’t want to talk about redundancy. But social connection lifts mood and reminds you who you are beyond your job title.

Not ready to talk about work? Use a simple script:

“I’d love to catch up, but I don’t want to talk about job stuff today. Can we do something fun - a walk, a paint-and-sip class, anything to distract and lift our energy?”

The key is to keep relationships alive while protecting your emotional boundaries.


6. Create a Vision Board for This Chapter

Your brain craves familiarity. When that’s been stripped away, you need to show it what’s next.

Create a vision board that reflects what success looks like right now - not just the end goal, but the daily habits and feelings you want to experience along the way. Include:

  • Images of movement (because habits are what will get you there)

  • Words like “rest,” “clarity,” “confidence,” and “balance”

  • Your empowering script about where you’re at right now

See it daily. Let it remind you of who you’re becoming.


Your Next Steps

Healthy habits are the foundation for your comeback. They regulate your mood, keep you focused, and remind you that this season - as uncomfortable as it feels - is a launchpad for your next chapter.


🎧 Listen & Go Deeper

 
 
 

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