#6 Three things I started doing after feeling down about my extended leave

I'm Zawa-Zawa Mama, and I'm on leave due to adjustment disorder.
Click here for the previous story ↓

It was the end of the year, and I had packed my schedule way too full during my third month of leave.
My physical condition was still not stable at this time, and it felt like this.

• Colds were hard to shake, and I had a persistent phlegmy cough 🤧

• Loss of appetite and unable to eat

• Getting nervous just talking to HR on the phone, causing my legs to cramp 😣

• Becoming sensitive to smells

• Tendency to oversleep, leading to day-night reversal 💤

• Motion sickness in cars and trains 🚃

At this point, my leave was extended by another three months...
Honestly, I lost my confidence and felt depressed.

But little by little, the feeling of "let's do what I can now" and "let's try something new" began to sprout.
And since I can't help but research things, I ended up spreading myself thin, and at my worst, I was scheduling three online meetings a day 😂

Career matters 💼

During this period, I was constantly taking action regarding my career.

• Additional interviews with agents (including temp agencies and individual agents)

• Career coaching trial → Re-evaluating my own work priorities

Agents often told me, "You need to set priorities."
But for some reason, I just couldn't do that.

Distance to the workplace, shorter working hours, the tasks I want to do.
They are all important, and I don't want to give up on any of them.

Even if you can only see your "original workplace" at the time, if you broaden your perspective,there are plenty of options.I can think that way now.

Self-improvement and study 📚

During this time, my desire to "learn!" was also strong, and I considered various courses.

• AI seminar

• Housework Improvement Course

• Web Marketing School

I originally worked in sales at an advertising agency and wanted to make proposals with stronger marketing elements.
But at the time, the stress of not being able to find time for new proposals was...

With that in mind, I looked for a school where I could use a reskilling program, and I ended up taking a Web Marketing course for three months.
If it weren't for the god-tier system✨ that returns half of the tuition, I don't think I could have made the decision. This might be the biggest self-investment I've made since my painless delivery😂

Around this time, I was seriously thinking, "I'll study, build a portfolio, and change to an industry I have no experience in!"
Just like how I'm writing this note now, I feel that marketing knowledge will definitely be useful for any job I do in the future.

Time with friends👭

Until now, I wasn't good at inviting nursery school mom friends over on weekends.
I kept thinking, "I'm sure everyone wants to spend time relaxing with their families..."

But knowing I was doing everything alone while my partner was away on a job transfer, they said, "Let's spend time together!" and single friends came to visit me.

When I'm with someone, the stress of dealing with my children strangely softens.
Having plans on days when I'm doing everything alone also gives me a sense of security.

Just knowing that "there are people I can rely on" is a salvation in itself.
Of course, meeting people is tiring for my health, but the joy was greater than that.

🌸Summary
In the third month of my leave, my health was still unstable and I had moments of feeling down.
But at the same time, it was also a period when small buds of "career exploration," "learning," and "human connections" began to appear.

Looking back now, I think the actions I took at this time are connected to my current outreach and my future options.

To be continued