#21: The Unemployment Diaries with Eliza Booth

On taking time to just BE, volunteering at a pig rescue, and how to make a superb Girl Lunch.

Laid Off Life is a place of respite for the weary workforce. Whether you’re unemployed, underemployed, or just trying to make it through the workday, let this be your 5-minute mental break from the grind of late-stage capitalism. 

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The Unemployment Diaries with Eliza Booth

Meet Eliza Booth, former Marketing VP at ID and TRVL Channel. I’m thrilled she’s agreed to share her Laid Off Life journey with us.

If you’d like to be featured in The Unemployment Diaries in the future, email me at laidofflife@substack.com.

What was your initial reaction to being laid off, and how did you deal?

It was really difficult to go from a very high stress, meeting-every-30-minutes-of-the-day job to having every hour of the day just for myself. I felt like this anchor that held me in place for so long had been lifted. I did what felt right each day — taking a walk, watching TV, seeing friends, going to a museum, whatever that was. Some days I felt great, many days I didn't.

What's one piece of advice you have for someone who is at the very beginning of their laid off life journey?

If you can, take time before your job search to just BE. I think it was really helpful to have a time to turn off my work brain, and to see what else was interesting to me.

What have you found to be the most challenging part of unemployment, both practically and emotionally?

The biggest challenge has been having so much unstructured time. After 22 years of working solidly I had such a pattern of wake up/go to work/come home and parent or work and then go to bed. Since the layoff, my time was truly my own again and it took getting used to. That same practical challenge brought emotional challenges too. I had this persistent feeling that I needed to do more with my time, that I was being lazy, not jumping into a job search.

I had a two week trip to England planned with my mom a few weeks after I was let go and that was a great opportunity to reset. I got to hike in the Lake District, see incredible art in London, and see a mentor of mine who always has great advice.

What’s the most annoying thing that’s been said to you about being laid off?

"They made such a huge mistake letting you go."

While I totally appreciate this sentiment, I clearly was not what leadership wanted or needed. Hanging onto the idea that I was somehow wrongfully let go just bred resentment. Instead, I'm focusing on being free to discover what I want to do and finding a place that matches my interests vs. the other way around.

What unexpected benefits or personal growth have you experienced during this time?

I’ve had the hardest but greatest year focusing on myself. The last 12 months have been very rocky. Work was really, really hard, I had some health issues, my marriage ended, and having time to rediscover what makes me happy has been invaluable. I also have been working with a coach who's a friend and former co-worker and that has helped me get real clarity on what is important to me as I (lazily) job search.

After cycling through ideas like going to beauty school or running my own shop, I am now very clear that my next job will be one that focuses on community, collaboration, and some kind of not-for-profit angle.

What’s one piece of advice your employed self would give your unemployed self?

Keep track of your professional milestones as you go along in a CV format so you have a record of your work. That would make a fresh resume and LinkedIn page very, very easy. I've been terrible about getting those pieces together as anyone who wants to connect with me on LinkedIn will see. 

What are your daily routines, rituals, and strategies for staying motivated, productive, and sane during your job search?

I've tried to develop new routines and stick to them, but I am still in my "wandering" stage. That said, things that I know are really good for me are exercise, reading lots of books for fun, fostering animals, watching my son play soccer, connecting with other parents, and doing new things.

This year I went to Austin, TX with a great friend and volunteered at Central Texas Pig Rescue for a week, I made my own Christmas Cards, and I meet friends for Art and Hot Dogs at DC museums. 

I also read a book called My What If Year by Alisha Fernandez Miranda. The author takes a year off (interrupted by the COVID pandemic) to do a series of internships. I didn't love the book, but it did inspire me to reach out to a local business, Indigro Plants, and see if the owner needed any help. I've been working for her part time, helping her with some planning, and running the shop. I love that I'm part of my community in this new way, getting in touch with my creative side, remembering how much I like being with people. And I'm learning a ton about plants, which I love.

What is your dream job, if time, money, experience, and reality were of no consequence?

I would run a farm-based animal rescue with community-building programs.

What kind of work are you hoping to do next (in case anyone reads this and has a lead for you)? 

I'm circling jobs that have a development focus — either financial development/fundraising or community development. A big part of my career was in the area of sponsorships and branded entertainment, and I want to use those skills to build something I believe in. My biggest focuses are women and children, the outdoors/nature, and animals.

If you could have any fictional job from a movie or book, what would it be, and why?

I'd love to be Indiana Jones with fewer fistfights and monkey brain soup. I'd love to explore the world and its cultures and art, but leave the artifacts in place, instead of taking them to sit in a giant government warehouse or museum. 

What's the most absurd job listing or piece of job-hunting advice that you've come across during your job search?

I've been using Glassdoor, and it's had some amazing job suggestions for me including Director of Anesthesia at a hospital. Um, why does it think I’m qualified for that?

If unemployment were a competitive sport, what would your unique talent or skill be in that competition?

Since my days of Sweetgreen salads are over for now, it would have to be making lunch with what's in my fridge. Forget Girl Dinner, I'm a pro at Girl Lunch. Come over for some crackers with labneh and sliced cucumber with a shake of Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Seasoning!

Remote, In Office, or Hybrid?

Hybrid! I love being with people but also need that thinking time I get from working from home.

Lunch at your desk or take a break and eat properly?

I ate at my desk A LOT, but in my last year at my former job I'd eat lunch with my colleagues in our cafeteria. It was a really fun break, didn't take much time, and reinforced our togetherness and teamy-ness.

Best thing you’ve done for money?

Right now it's doing holiday terrarium workshops at Indigro Plant Design in Takoma Park, MD!

What are your worthy time wasters? What are you reading/watching/listening to/consuming right now?

I've read some amazing books this year: Everything/Nothing/Someone by Alice Carrière, Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy are my favorites so far.

I'm watching The Wire for the first time and I rewatched Schitt's Creek for laughs.

Listening to a lot of Courtney Barnett these days. She was my top Spotify Unwrapped artist. For podcasts I love Pivot and A Certain Age.

One cheap thrill that you recommend?

Sitting in the sun (or a sunny window) and reading.

Tell us about the last Internet rabbit hole you fell into.

I should probably say that I've done a deep dive on AI policy, but no. I just learned that there's an animal called a binturong, aka a BearCat. Their babies are referred to as shruggles. How great is that?

Where can people find you?

I'm on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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Read More

#18: The Unemployment Diaries With Sara Burns

#15: The Unemployment Diaries with Marissa Lucy

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