He says there is a lot of anxiety about where things are going in the future, and having some time off due to layoffs can help workers reconnect with what they really find valuable in their lives. “The people that are more resilient can maybe step back and reflect and reevaluate their lives,” says Brusman, who operates the consulting firm Working Solutions. “The ones that aren’t may need some help or coaching to take a look at it and they might not be able to bounce back so easily.”