Alhamdulillah - Lost My Job 7 Months Ago, Now Earning More and Working Less

Assalamu alaikum - I wanted to share something that honestly turned my life around because a few months ago I was in a really dark place. Back in July I had what felt like the worst week. I was in a mid-level marketing role and suddenly got called in and let go. They said “restructuring,” but I felt like a failure. On top of that, the stress wrecked my relationship and my wife moved out two days later. I spent about three weeks on the sofa, eating takeaway, watching my savings shrink. I felt like a complete loser in my mid-20s while it seemed like everyone else was moving forward. I tried everything to pull myself together. I bought planners, tried waking up early (that lasted two days), and tried all the hustle-y productivity apps that only made me more anxious. I kept myself “busy” applying for jobs and “researching,” but I wasn’t actually making progress - just a million open tabs and little to show for it. The change came when I stopped trying to “manage time” vaguely and started timeboxing. It seemed almost too simple. Instead of a long to-do list, I blocked every part of my day on a calendar - even breaks and prayer times. The first week was hard. I realized I was spending four hours a day on tasks that felt productive but weren’t important. But I kept at it. I made blocks for deep work, blocks for job applications, a block for the gym, and time for dhikr and Salah. Bit by bit things cleared up. Knowing exactly what to do at 2 PM removed that awful indecision. After a month my output didn’t just go up - it jumped. I built a portfolio during those focused sessions and ended up getting a better senior position because I could show real results. Looking back, losing that job was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to stop reacting and start taking control. Alhamdulillah, I’m in better shape, my career is on a path I didn’t expect, and I actually have more free time because I stopped wasting it. If anyone reading this is struggling, consider blocking your day into clear, honest chunks and make room for your faith and rest too.