Furloughs: A Guide to Making Them Work for You

Anyone familiar with the serenity prayer knows that it takes serenity, courage and wisdom to deal with the changes that may be thrown at us in our lives. As the result of the recent economic crisis, one such change that many people must now deal with is the furlough day - an unpaid day off work which is mandated by our employers in an attempt to reduce costs and save jobs.

The definition or meaning of "furlough," or "furloughed," as found on the thefreedictionary.com website, is:

a. A leave of absence or vacation, especially one granted to a member of the armed forces.

b. A usually temporary layoff from work.

c. A leave of absence from prison granted to a prisoner.

d. to grant a leave to

e. to lay off (workers)

It's hard to be upset by a concept that saves jobs - particularly if it is OUR job that it saves! When we look at the alternatives that our employer could have chosen - downsizing and layoffs, or closing down the business altogether - having to deal with the fact that we will now be spending a day a week or a day or two a month at home without pay doesn't sound so bad! But employees who will, as the result of furloughs, be bringing home less money to their own families to pay the bills and to live day to day, cannot help but feel the stress and the emotions that go along with making less money.

If you are being, or will soon be, asked to take regular furlough days, put some thought into how you will spend those days in order to prevent yourself from being stressed out and possibly angry, two emotions that will do nothing but cause physical and emotional harm to your body and your spirit.

First of all, sit down and figure out just how much money you earn (or bring home) for a day's work. Knowing this number will give you something to focus on if you need to find a second job or other means of making up that shortfall in your financial situation.

Once you know that number, brainstorm ideas for how to make it up, and decide just how necessary it is for you to do so. Some people live paycheck-to-paycheck, and losing $50-$100 a week or more is going to create an extreme hardship and the inability to pay critical bills. Other people have more flexibility because they are a two-income household or one of those families fortunate enough to have some disposable income opportunities.

If you need to make some money to make up for the money you will lose while on a furlough day, consider the possibilities. A second job, of course, but jobs are hard to come by these days. Do you have the skills to do some freelance work from home, in areas such as writing, editing, or computer skills? If you do, check the Internet for jobs, but be sure not to be sucked in by scams. Desperate people often do foolish things. If a job sounds too good to be true, it is!

There are several other ways to "make money by saving money". Or by cutting out certain things in your budget. I discussed many of these options in my Associated Content article "Make Money by Saving Money," which you can read HERE.

If you are lucky enough not to have to worry about finding a second job or other means to make up the money you will lose while on furlough, or even if you are working a second job on those days, you must also deal with the second issue of anger. Focus on the positive aspects of these furlough days. You are still employed. Your employer is doing whatever they can to get through this economy, save jobs, and come out strong on the other side. You need to do the same.

How you spend your furlough days will go a long way to maintaining your emotional good health. Brainstorm the ideas. Do you want to learn new skills? Can you afford to go back to school to learn these new skills, and can you find classes that meet your furlough schedule and your budget? If you have decided not to try for formal education, but would like to keep yourself occupied by some type of education, consider free online classes. Again - beware of scams! But there are some websites out there where you can find fun and educational classes to take for free. Sometimes, you may be required to buy books or other materials. But sometimes, you can check out the necessary books from your local library. I discussed some of these websites in my Associated Content article, "Free Online Classes," which you can read HERE.

Another way to spend a furlough day is to volunteer. Only 25% of Americans volunteer, and most people who do not volunteer cite a lack of time as their reason for not volunteering. So now that you will have some "extra time," find a volunteer position that will help you fill that time and make you feel like you are doing something useful. Volunteering is the best thing that the unemployed, or furloughed, can do to make themselves feel better and also help their community. I discussed this in my Associated Content article, "The Perfect Job for the Unemployed," which you can read HERE.

Other options for ways to spend your furlough days are to tackle that To Do list you never get around to, begin an exercise regimen, cook some healthy and low cost meals that you can freeze and eat later in the week, do those housecleaning chores that you usually spend your evenings trying to get done after you get home from work, or just RELAX ... read a book, enjoy a hobby, spend time with your family.

Being furloughed is not fun. It is stressful and can cause you great emotional distress. But it can also provide you an opportunity to improve your life in so many ways. Don't focus on the negative. Be positive and make the most of every furlough day by sitting down and planning out what you want to do and need to do to make these furlough days work for you!

SOURCES:

"Furlough Nation: What to do with all those hours?" by William Post, Denver Post Online, March 31, 2009, http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_12031846

"Stress Management - How to Reduce, Prevent and Cope with Stress", HelpGuide.org, http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm