Stress, Layoffs, and Cisco

If you are stressed out, and feeling like you have some type of mid-life or mental health issue during your tenure at Cisco; it is not you. It is the system.

If you are feeling ongoingly terrible, can't sleep, are irritable to your family, and wondering what is wrong with you; it isn't you. It is this altered state of reality of ongoing LR cycles, and worry.

I was a mess for my last five years at Cisco. My family did not like being around me, I was tired all the time, irritated, and basically just not a nice person. I was never at peace with myself.

I sought counseling and started medication. The medication helped a bit (anxiety medication); but too away my creativity. I was able to do my job, but instead of being irriated, would just tune out the people around me. That included my family.

In the end, I was LR'd. That was the best thing that happened to me. Over the next six months, I had time simply to think and be at peace. I stopped the medication, started exercising a whole bunch, and turned back into the person that I was, mostly, at the start of my career at Cisco.

It is just a toxic place. It is not you. Anyone that does not think it is toxic, is toxic themselves, or a user of others.

If the above describes you, get out, and get yourself back. It is not worth the daily woe.

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Do not stay in a company for more than 5 years unless until you are getting promoted frequently and part of the management mafia group otherwise you will get all kinds of anxiety, depression, mental illness and make you loose your worthlessness and a walking zombie

Tell me once thing, is it any better anywhere else. As long as you are not in the system you can go happy go lucky but the day you land another job(IT), trust me it is the same sh-t ditch.
Unless you plan to start something on your own, my bet, do not stay more than 2-3 years in a company, and keep switching. Earn as much as you can till you are 50 and then f$*k'n retire. F$#k loyalty

Please check out Palo Alto, AWS and Google.

I have to admit I agree. It’s bizarre to think this dysfunctional clusterf*ck of a company is voted the best place to work. What version of he-l are the companies listed below Cisco?

I had planned and saved for my impending LR July 2023. I knew it would happen eventually. What I didn't realize was the damage I had done to myself working in the environment of aggressive on going lay offs.

When I left I was on the maximum level of blood pressure meds, eating cr-p from door dash every day, chained to my desk in back-to-back meetings, taking anti depressants - yet still depressed, exhausted, wasn't sleeping due to the high level of cortisol, not exercising and doom scrolling after a 10 hour work day. I was a shell of myself and beyond burnout.

Now a year later, I am still not working due to my good planning and minimal life style. Health has resolved itself, I sleep 8+ hours a night, I spend time with my kids and husband, I have friends outside of cisco, I cook our healthy meals and exercise. My mental health is so much better and positive. I'm skilled up on AI and finally got my PMP. Time has not been wasted.

Cisco will su-k the soul out of you if you let it. Its toxic and mentally unsafe with the ongoing aggressive lay offs. If you feel like the OP has described, give it some serious thought of finding a new place to work. Cisco and the ELT aren't worth your health, mind and well being.

What are the chances of the ELT having an open candid discussion where they wholeheartedly detail that they are sorry to put everyone though these restructuring cycles, over and over again; but it is truly necessary for the continued viability and development of the company?

Zero.

If this were a family, and the parents had similar self-preservation and in-genuine attitudes; would you feel mentally healthy being part of that family.

Everything is going great kids; really. Don't worry. Trust us.

Love,

Mom & Dad

I was laid off in February 2024 and now after about 7 months I feel so relaxed, healthier and happier. I still have not landed a job so I am careful with money and living with less but am enjoying my life 100%. I really do not want to keep up with the Joneses. I want to live as a human being not an entity of a toxic corporate.

"All this advice is great provided you can find a job. Else the anxiety will be even worse."

It is very difficult to look for a job and do well in interviews while you are stressed out and not at peace with yourself and with the people around you.

Those who get laid off are the lucky ones because they get a package that can keep them going for a few months to relax, work on their resume and look for another job. It its a competitive job market but there are jobs out there.

If you are stuck at Cisco, the best thing is to talk to friends, exercise and meditate and hope that you get the package soon.

Being off the Cisco grid for most of the last 3 weeks, I realized how much PTSD the culture cultivates. Even getting fired comes with layers & layers of half assed planning and execution. I won't miss it ....

All this advice is great provided you can find a job. Else the anxiety will be even worse.

Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Stress, Layoffs, and Cisco

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