Laid off?

It's not the end of the world, finds Sunday MiD DAY. This group of professionals is treating it as the break they never had travelling, sailing, getting fit or spending time with their families

It's not the end of the world, finds Sunday MiD DAY. This group of professionals is treating it as the break they never had travelling, sailing, getting fit or spending time with their families

HE begins the day with two hours of gym, catches up on his reading and goes sailing every alternate day during the golden afternoons. On other days, he swims or enjoys a sauna session. Broadcast journalist Dharmesh Thakkar says that just a month ago, this would have been all a dream. Dharmesh began work, sometimes as day was breaking at 6 am and almost always wound up at midnight, with even weekends nonexistent. "I was on the crime beat, so stories happened late at night," he explains.

Dharmesh Thakkar finally has the time to pusue his passion for sailing

When Dharmesh learnt that his TV news channel was letting him go nearly a month ago, he decided to look at it from the bright side. "I kept crazy hours. Now I have more time for family. Since my company gave me a good compensation package of Rs 5 lakh, I've been thinking up ways to spend it," he says cheerily. Dharmesh says he's not applying for a job for the next three months this is his sabbatical from work, even though it came after he was made redundant.

Dipti Kharude plans short breaks with family

'I suddenly have time!'
The syndrome isn't new. Mumbai's known for the fast life, for intense work pressure, grueling commutes to work and back, with barely any time left for yourselves. There's the loan to pay, the double income to contribute to and the nonstop slog to realise your dreams. Before you know it, you're in the rat race.

When Sheena Charles, who worked with a recruitment firm, was called in one morning with some other colleagues, she didn't have an inkling what was coming. "We were told that the company was going through a bad phase and as they were merging, we'd have to resign. That was it we didn't have to come in the next day. It was a sudden shock," she admits frankly.

After it sunk in, Sheena realised that she needed the break anyway. "I was planning to resign after six months because I was getting married in November," she shrugs, "Now I suddenly have the time to window shop for the wedding and visit my native place, on the Gujarat border." With a rash of family functions and birthdays, Sheena also finds herself free to help out and says she's finally getting down to a stack of novels.

Got into shape
In Dipti Kharude's case, life was hectic in her previous jobs. When the new channel that she was working in as a promotions producer took time over its launch, she sensed trouble ahead. Soon enough, there was major downsizing. "I didn't miss the job as much as I did the salary because I had a home loan to pay off. I didn't want to jump into a job I hated because the market was bad. Luckily, by asking around, I found two good freelance jobs that took care of the loans," explains Dipti.

Which left Dipti with considerable time on her hands and the opportunity to check off those things on her list that she had been putting off. To get into shape, she signed up for belly dance classes something she always wanted to do. Then with her husband's and her schedule no longer on collision course, there's been more family time and dinners together. "We've been planning small trips, like to Manori beach. Also, I always enjoyed making these coffee table books that were personalised for friends and now it's developed into a profession. I get assignments and I now have the time to do it. I feel at peace," says Dipti.

Dharmesh too says this has opened up the time for him to follow his love for sailing. "I love match sailing and it's a more exciting form of racing. In June, I'll go to the National Defence Academy Khadakwasla lake and participate in that competition. I'll be able to catch up with old contacts. And I also plan to attend the Indian International Film Awards (IIFA) ceremony. It's in Macau this year and I want to explore China as well."u00a0

Living in denial?
However, experts feel that this attitude, even if it is preferable to sinking into depression, smacks of denial. After all, you can take a break for a month or two, but with the recession looming through 2009 and expected to last perhaps longer, being out of a job means you're on shaky ground. The break better be temporary, they warn.

Says Sociology professor at Xavier's College, Professor Madhuri Raijada, "It's true that this is a break for someone who had a high-pressure job and no time, but how long can you continue like this? It seems more a cover-up because they can't accept losing their jobs. Temporary assignments may fill a bit of a gap, but if you have to run a house, you need a job."

She adds that it isn't that big city professionals deal with a loss of a job better than their small town counterparts it's just that they're better aware. "City professionals are more aggressive; they'll give their CVs to everyone they know and pass on the word, while small town professionals aren't as forthcoming."u00a0u00a0