Living without a job can feel like you have lost your North Star. You’re a human being with untapped potential. While we’re sure you’re scouring The Job Auction and following our #BoycottUnemployment posts on the blog, there’s more you can do to feel good about yourself.
It’s tough not having a direct revenue stream and even tougher trying to find one. We know. However, with time on your hands, you may find yourself idle, with nothing but you rattling around an empty house. There are things you can do to stay busy, keep your mind sharp and focused on the hunt. Here are some of them…
Keep a Diary/Schedule
This one is the most important thing. Getting lost in time becomes easy to do when you don’t have that many things to fill it in with. To avoid feeling stranded in the wilderness it’s good to anchor yourself in with a pen and paper. Write down everything you intend to complete within a day and then when the sun has set, write down what you actually did. It’s also an opportunity for you to write down any feelings you may have about your predicament and work through them healthily.
Exercise
This, of course, isn’t exclusive to anyone who currently finds themselves unemployed. We’d recommend everyone tries getting active for at least thirty minutes a day and then at least three days a week. However being unemployed gives you more time than you would otherwise have. Double those numbers and you should have a healthy routine each day that should include an hour spent working out your muscles. Release some endorphins why don’t you!
Network
Many might wonder how on earth you network without a glass of prosecco in your hand at a dimly lit 4th floor room in The City. However, there are ways around this. This being the 21st century, we do have the internet. Meeting people online in a professional sense can give us the idea our lives are moving in the right direction. Furthermore, networking can occur anywhere, even in a social setting. See your friends for a mood boost and maybe even a career opportunity.
Relax
It may seem like an obvious choice but many people who live with the anxiety of trying to find a job are scared of seeming lazy, inactive or being looked at as a shirker with no direction. If you know this isn’t the case then don’t feel guilty about taking breaks every once in a while. See a film you like or go and eat out. You don’t have to prove how tough things are by punishing yourself. Be mature enough to have yourself some fun.
Read
Reading is something everyone does every day anyway. You can’t go on the internet without reading; neither can you really apply for jobs without reading. It stands to reason that there will be dozens of unread books and magazines in your house that have gone unread. Getting accustomed to the tone of voice, spelling, grammar and punctuation is actually the best way not only to keep your sharp but also to brush up on your writing skills. Tweaking CVs and writing cover letters is likely going to become part of your every day routine anyway, so getting into the habit of seeing sentences and understanding what makes a good one, is a good habit to get into.
