How to Cope With Layoff Anxiety: 5 Science-Backed Strategies

Layoff anxiety is worry about losing your job. It can show up even when your job may be secure. Your mind treats the possibility of job loss like a real, present danger. That can keep your body in a stress response for weeks or months, even if nothing bad ever happens.

But this worry doesn't affect everyone equally. The American Psychological Association's survey measured something called psychological capital, nicknamed “HERO” for short. HERO stands for four mental strengths:

• Hope: Believing you can reach your goal, having a plan to get there, and a backup plan if the first one falls through.
• Efficacy: Trusting your own ability to handle what comes your way.
• Resilience: Bouncing back after something hard happens.
• Optimism: Expecting things to work out, rather than assuming the worst by default.

According to the survey, workers with low HERO scores were more than twice as likely as workers with high HERO scores to worry about losing their job soon. That means two people may see the same layoff headlines and feel very different amounts of fear. That difference comes down to HERO, a measurable set of mental strengths that can be built over time. Here’s where to start.

1. Notice and Challenge the Spiral

   Not all worry is the same. Some worry leads to a next step, like updating a resume or reviewing a budget. Some worry just replays the same fear over and over, often jumping straight to the worst-case scenario. This idea is central to a well-studied model for anxiety treatment, and a 2023 review found that building tolerance for uncertainty can help ease anxiety symptoms.

   The next time worry shows up, try asking yourself: Is there something I can do about this right now? Or am I just rehearsing a fear? If there's a next step, take it. If not, try checking the thought against the facts. What do you actually know right now, versus what you're afraid might happen? This kind of realistic thinking can help build optimism, one of the mental strengths that can buffer against layoff anxiety.

2. Set Boundaries Around Checking and Scanning

   Hypervigilance is common with layoff anxiety. This means constantly watching for danger, even when nothing is wrong. It might look like re-reading emails for hidden meaning. It might mean watching a manager's tone for signs of trouble. Or it might mean doomscrolling (continuously scrolling on your phone through negative news) about industry layoffs. This can feel protective, but it tends to feed worry instead of solving it. Try setting a specific, limited window for checking news or messages, instead of monitoring constantly. This may help lower the toll it takes, without requiring you to ignore real information.

3. Build a Plan and a Backup Plan

   Having a plan can help build hope. Start with a one-page financial snapshot: your savings, your fixed expenses, and how long they'd last without income. Then turn to the professional side: update your resume, refresh your LinkedIn profile, and line up a few references.

   It may also help to take stock of your skills, including ones that could transfer to a different role or industry, if needed. The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 lists the skills employers need most right now, and expect to need even more by 2030:

   • Analytical thinking
   • Resilience, flexibility, and agility
   • Leadership and social influence
   • Creative thinking
   • AI and big data
   • Networks and cybersecurity
   • Technology literacy
   • Curiosity and lifelong learning

   If any of these feel like a gap, even a small step – like taking a free online course – may help close it. Taking that step can also build efficacy: the confidence that comes from knowing you're equipped to handle whatever is ahead.

4. Protect Your Sense of Self

   Job security may start to feel tied to identity and self-worth, especially under the threat of layoffs. But a layoff is almost always a business decision, not a verdict on your skill or effort. Under stress, it can be easy to blur the two, treating the fear of job loss as if it's already a reflection of your worth. Try reminding yourself what's actually true: a layoff would reflect a company's priorities and constraints, not your value as a person.

   It may also help to spend time on relationships, hobbies, or other roles outside of work. This way, your sense of self doesn't rest on your job alone. Building a fuller life outside of the office can help build resilience: the ability to recover and keep going after something hard happens.

5. Talk About It, and Know When It's Time for More Support

   Talking with a trusted friend, partner, or colleague can help ease the feeling of carrying layoff anxiety alone. But sometimes talking to someone you trust isn't enough. Watch for signs like trouble sleeping, trouble focusing, or pulling away from daily tasks or people. If these signs last more than a couple of weeks, that may mean the anxiety has moved beyond everyday stress. A mental health professional can work with you to build tools for managing layoff-related anxiety. Recent LifeStance data shows that 79% of LifeStance patients* experienced clinically significant improvement in anxiety symptoms with evidence-based mental health care.

*amongst 140,000 LifeStance patients with at least moderate anxiety