Preparation isn’t just for disasters or traumatic events.  In fact, being well-prepared can come in handy during other types of less serious interruptions.  Take employment for example, sometimes your job can go away due to no fault of your own.

It’s happened to me in the past, and it just happened to me a few weeks ago.

In real life, I work as a Business Analyst for large companies on major technical projects.  Like many Information Technologies professionals, I am a contractor, which means its easier for firms to hire and fire me.  Most of my work is dependent upon projects being funded by executive leadership and sometimes the planned funding isn’t approved.  The result, you have to look elsewhere for work from time to time.

Thankfully, I was informed before Christmas that my contract would end on January 31st, which gave me some time to get ready for my next job.  Its an interruption that I’d rather not have but sometimes life throws you a curveball when you don’t expect it.  The challenge is to move ahead and not waste time finding the next opportunity.  Unless you are independent wealthy (I am not), staying employed and earning a living is a necessity.

However, I am not worried.  During my time at my current assignment, I have accumulated extra food, supplies, and money to ride out an interruption in income.  That way, I can use my limited resources to purchase perishable items that I will need during the next few weeks.  While I don’t relish the thought of being out of work, at least I have the resources to mitigate the impact of unemployment.

So remember, plan for events that are likely to happen (ex. blackouts, joblessness, sickness) rather than those that are only remotely possible (ex. asteroid impact, super volcano, nuclear war).  Doing so will save time, effort, and stress as you make the proper preparations for probable events.