Last Day in the Office and Aftermath

A manager asked me, "So, how does it feel [for it to be your last day today at this job]?" whilst another manager told me, "You've gotta feel relieved. I bet you that's how it's gonna to feel."

Yesterday was a whirlwind of a day. I went to work "as usual", ported my cellphone number to a different device (sadly, I turned in my schnazzy iPhone and replaced it with a cheap $10 prepaid flip phone from Best Buy), printed pertinent documents and saved some items from my corporate laptop on a flash drive, went to my final company-sponsored lunch, had my exit interview, cleared my cubicle, turned in the laptop to IT, said my round of farewells, took a million pictures, and left to meet a friend for dinner and hanging out. I didn't make it home until 11:30pm last night, at which point I was too exhausted to think about the fact that my time in Corporate America has ended.

Wow... texting with this phone after having owned an iPhone...

Today, Saturday, feels like any other Saturday. It does not feel anything monumentally different. I did wake up today with a bit of excitement; however, I had put in my resignation notice 3 whole months ago and everyone in my department was aware of my impending departure, especially yours truly, so it's not Earth-shattering. I have also been fortunate enough to have had ample time to plan my transition and have a few projects/activities lined up, which would keep me busy until school starts in September.

I think, if one is planning a career change (not a job change from one firm to another but a real career change), especially when one is going from a M-F (and some weekends) job to beginning his own venture, it's really important at least for the first couple of weeks to line something up that will keep him busy on a similar routine to build off of the momentum of the corporate schedule, feel productive, and acclimate oneself to the change. If one wants to take a few days off, that's fine, but I wouldn't take off more than a regular weekend or the regular span of a planned vacation.

It's not so much about accomplishing things right away as it is just feeling good and in control of the situation. I think unemployment, especially unforeseen unemployment, causes depression when the person goes home and has to think about "What now?" If one has a general plan with concrete but not immediate actionable steps (for example, I'm going back to school but not until September), I really think the first two or three weeks after the loss of a job should be planned for and filled with productive activities in one's chosen field as a transition rather than a time for taking a break or bumming around for a while, unless maybe if it's spent on personal development, like going on a retreat, taking a seminar, meaningful travel, the like.

So, what do I have scheduled for myself for the next two weeks? Tomorrow, I am off to Jackson/N. Conway New Hampshire, for a 10-day landscape painting workshop in the tradition of the Hudson River School (an American painting movement). I have to clean my room today and pack for the trip. I am back on July 27 and will provide updates then if there's no wifi at the place where I'm staying.