Our conversations have always been friendly and civil -- nothing major -- just "safe" subjects like the weather or light chit-chat about what's been going on in town. When we pass each other in the hallway, the conversations usually go like this: "Hi, how are you?" -- "I'm fine. How're you?" -- "Good."
She doesn't know me very well. She has a general notion of what I do at work. She goes her way. I go mine. Our "relationship" can be summed up in one sentence. We both work in the same building.
The other day, we were both part of a group having a casual conversation in the break room. I mentioned reading an article in our local newspaper about job cuts in the area, and how scary it's getting.
I didn't even see it coming. She hit me right between the eyes with a baseball bat.
She said, "Well, we don't need The Lawyer Referral Service. We can cut the budget and eliminate your department."
I couldn't believe that came out of her mouth -- but it did. Dirty Harry made my day.
(Just in case you've decided to stop reading here -- please note -- The Lawyer Referral Service has not been eliminated).
I think it's fair to say that the current state of the union and the shaky economy is causing a great deal of stress for individuals and families both at home and in the workplace.
Stress at home? I can speak to that. Workplace stress? I can speak to that too.
I went to talk with the boss. I asked him what's going on and if he had any ideas he wanted me to write about. What does he say? He says he thinks everybody's stressed out. (He's reading my mind again and I have no idea how he does that). He thinks I need to write how people are coping with the new reality -- the economy. He says people are scared -- they're stressing out -- they're freaking out and they're unreasonable. What are folks doing to deal with all this stress? He tells me I need to interview people -- get some feedback -- write it up and pass it on to our readers.
Okay, I tell him, let me chew on this idea a bit. He's right. Everybody's stress level is up. It's a good subject -- timely and important. He's right. I need to visit with some other people to get some fresh ideas. I need a new menu -- from soup to nuts -- because my view is slightly skewed.
I visited with ten different people. When I asked if they've felt an increase in their stress level due to the economy, most of them rolled their eyes at me and said, "Are you kidding me?"
I told them what I was doing and asked if they'd be willing to share their thoughts about the kinds of adjustments they've had to make in response to the changes in the economy.
Here are some of the things they shared with me:
Groceries & Everyday Stuff: Be aware of changing grocery prices. Watch for bargains by purchasing meat locally. Beef is more expensive right now. Some chicken cuts are more expensive than others. Pork butt roasts are a good bargain. Watch for sales on meat. If you have a freezer, check to see what prices are at the local butcher and fill your freezer with specials. If you don't have a freezer, consider buying a small one to stock with bargains. Buy what's on sale and work your menus around the newspaper ads. Make a list before you go. Don't go grocery shopping if you're hungry. Take the kids with you, take your husband with you (or significant other) -- or, if you do better by yourself -- leave them at home. Buy off-brands or store brands. Fresh fruit in season is a better bargain than fruit that is not in season. Bananas are always a good buy. Look through your cookbooks for more crock-pot recipes, soups, bulky meals, and all-in-one-pot meals. Clip coupons and watch for buy-one/ get-one free deals. Some stores offer manager's specials on meats. Some stores have Senior Citizen discount days or Double Coupon days. Buy in bulk. Don't go grocery shopping every day. Make a plan to grocery shop and do all your other chores on the same day -- don't make unnecessary trips.
Think about starting a garden. During World War II, forty percent of our nation's produce came from Victory Gardens. If you don't know how to can or freeze vegetables, you can learn. Go to your nearest University Extension Center and ask for assistance. Rent a tiller, use shovels, get enough tools to get you through, plant seeds, water the garden, and keep weeding. If you don't have space for a garden, you can get some of those old pots out and think about container gardening. There are lots of vegetables you can grow that don't need a lot of space. Convert flower beds into vegetable beds instead. If you and your neighbor are friendly, strike a deal and see if you can garden together -- you can share the chores and the harvest. If not a neighbor, perhaps another family member might be interested. Support your local Farmer's Markets and go to places where you can pick your own fruits and veggies and take the kids with you when you go.
Become more confident and realize even a natural disaster can be overcome. For many people, knowing that they can handle anything -- even natural disasters -- is a confidence builder. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are great examples of programs that build confidence by teaching these skills. You might get a Boy Scout Manual and read it. You'd be surprised how comforting it is to realize that come hell or high water, (or tornados, power failures & snow storms) you can take care of yourself and your family.
Family & Children's Activities: Increase music in your home. Play "American Idol" with the kids and get them to sing, using musical instruments if you have them, or use the radio. Hold "Dance-Off" contests. Pretend you're all ballerinas, tap dancers, or gymnasts. Movie prices have lowered in some places -- better yet, watch for Free movie programs for children. Explore new places in your town. Find the Historical Society, check out your local Chamber of Commerce for things to do. If your city or town has a Parks & Recreation Department, check it out and see what's available. Watch for specials at ice rinks or roller skating rinks. Check with vocational schools, tech schools, and colleges for local programs that may be interesting -- entertaining -- and free.
Go to the library -- use the Children's Department. Check for Storybook Time programs. Get your kids into a reading program if your library doesn't offer one. Tell your kids to each pick out a few new books and read one book, once a week for each child. Ask them to read aloud. The library sometimes has an Audio Department you can explore. Borrow some musical CD's. You may have a movie department at your local library. Get those free movies and watch them together. Get books-on-tape.
Play games. Get some new board games, find your old board games, and have weekly tournaments. Do Sudoku puzzles. Learn to crochet or knit and teach the kids. Play Monopoly, Chutes & Ladders, Candyland, Scrabble, Risk, Parcheesi, or Sorry. Get the cards out and learn how to play Canasta, Pinochle, Crazy 8's, Fish and other card games. Pack up a picnic lunch (it doesn't have to be exotic) and go to the local park to enjoy it. Go for a walk around the park. Play on the playground. Take pictures of your kids. Get on the swings with your kids, or the teeter-totter yourself. Roll around in the grass. Dig some worms and take your kids fishing. Get some conservation books about wildflowers, trees, shrubs, and bugs at the library. Get some paper & pencils, go to the park, and take the family on a hunt to identify all the trees in the park. Walk around town.
Keep your kids in the loop. Children are great barometers and they're clever listeners. They overhear conversations, sometimes get things mixed up, get scared or nervous, and sometimes close up and their stress levels increase. They may already have an idea about what's happening. Keep conversations going with the kids. Talk about what is going on in your family. Keep them informed, and include them so that they can engage with parents and be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
TV & Radio: You can limit your news watching. If you think the negative news is getting to you -- change the channel on the TV or the radio or turn them off. You won't miss anything. Someone will tell you if something really important happens. Watch comedy programs, old TV reruns, old movies or cartoons. Try a new radio station and turn the volume up to and from work. Sing with the radio. If the kids are with you, let them pick a station and get them involved in the music. Listen to something soothing. Try classical, soft rock or smooth jazz for a change. Try to listen to a new station every day. Get rid of your cable TV -- get an antenna and watch the channels that come in. You can save quite a bit.
Taking Care of Yourself: Exercise like you mean it. Run, walk, or ride a bike. Exercise on a regular basis. Increase your exercise routine or just maintain it. "Protest" gas prices and ride your bicycle wherever you can. Get a basket to carry things on your bike and combine exercise with errands. Exercise decreases stress. Remember to pack along your sneakers and take a 1/2 hour walk each day when the weather is nice or walk when the weather is lousy. Get up a little earlier and walk around the block before you leave for work. Get up a little earlier and drive to the mall, walk around two times (in or out) and then go to work. Walk around the mall during your lunch hour if you have enough time. Walk uptown or downtown. Window-shop while you're walking. Park your car 1/4 mile away, walk to the store and walk back. Walk up or down the stairs instead of using the elevator. Get a pedometer and challenge yourself to walk more and more each day. Make an effort to keep moving. Read about healthy lifestyles, holistic methods or something new and different about being healthy and taking care of yourself.
Finances: Are you tired of being broke all the time? Plan to get out of debt. Take charge of your situation. Sit down and communicate with your spouse and your family about how you're going to get control. Make a plan. Make a budget. It's very easy to find reputable financial experts who have written books, have website, and have TV programs -- on how to manage your finances. Cut up all your credit cards. If you think you have to have one, keep one and use it for emergencies only. If you use it, pay it off right after you get the bill to avoid finance charges. Pay cash for everything. If you don't have the money, you don't need it. Sell all vehicles you do not need -- particularly if there's a car payment attached to it. Get a beater. Car pool with others if you can. Drive slower. Don't eat out at restaurants unless you're working and do it occasionally or for a special occasion. If you go to restaurants, use coupons if you can, or find restaurants that have Buy one entree/Get the next entree for free.
Create an emergency fund and aim for at least $1,000.00 in cash. Do not use your emergency fund money for anything other than a real emergency. No impulse buying. Try the envelope system -- take $100.00 out of your paycheck and get five envelopes. Label the envelopes with: Clothes, Gifts, Christmas, and Blow Money. Put $20.00 in each envelope. Add to the envelopes and do not use the money for anything else. Those are the extras...and when you purchase gifts or clothes, that is the only money you use for those things. Go to Good Will for clothing and/or garage sales. Ask your co-workers to join you in a clothes swap or clothes exchange. Bring clean, wearable clothing only -- get rid of the things you don't wear and see what you can swap for. No money is involved -- you're re-cycling!
Pay the most important things first. Pay your house payment or if you rent, pay your rent first and then your utilities. Postpone major purchases. If your computer is working, you don't need a new computer. If your TV is working, you don't need a new one. If your car is working, you don't need a new one. Take some time to visit with your insurance agent and ask the agent to review your policies. Maybe you can make some adjustments on your coverage. Learn how to do car repairs yourself. Attempt more do-it-yourself projects vs. purchasing.
Your Job: I asked everyone what would be the worst thing that could happen to him/her. Eight out of ten said the worst thing would be losing their job.
If you've lost your job through no fault of your own, there's no one to blame. Take this opportunity to make a positive change in your direction. Being unemployed affects the entire family -- not just the person who was working. It's stressful to miss a paycheck but eliminating the stresses of a job may have some beneficial effects. Look for other work. Take a short break if you can, and do some things around the house. Work on some projects you've put off because you didn't have time. Build things. Meditate. Exercise. Get busy. Cut wood. Clear land. Spend a few minutes every day doing nothing. Turn off the TV. Turn off the radio. Sit in silence for a little while.
During these difficult times, it's very easy to go crazy and it's easy to lose your focus. Some folks have no one to talk with and are alone. Do the best you can do with what you have and be hopeful that tomorrow can be a better day.
Perhaps you've read something in this article that you can use. I'm thankful to all the folks who took the time to share their ideas about how they're adjusting to the changing economic situation.
In conclusion -- to the woman who increased my stress level by suggesting my job can be eliminated -- I'm thankful she's not in charge.
