I swallowed my pride and moved back in with my parents after a layoff. I'm glad I did.
A former corporate worker shares her experience of moving back in with her parents after a layoff, framing it as a necessary step for mental health and career recalibration. The author emphasizes the importance of redefining success beyond traditional corporate metrics.
Why it matters
This reflects a broader cultural shift in how professionals are navigating economic instability and burnout in the post-pandemic job market.
The author, shown on a recent road trip through Maine, said that moving back in with her parents gave her the space she needed to plan her next career move. Courtesy of Erika Lindquist. I struggled to find a new job after I was laid off in 2023. After months of trying, I decided to leave NYC and move in with my parents. Being unemployed gave me time to heal and rethink what success now means to me. New York City is expensive, even when you're employed. If you happen to be job hunting , that expense hits even harder. In 2024, about a year after I was laid off, I was facing a difficult decision: Should I stay in NYC, drain the rest of my savings, and hope to land a job soon?
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