How to Cope With Unemployment

Aside from looking for work, here is what you can do while you’re unemployed to keep your spirits up and not waste your days.

Work out

This is a great time to develop your physical health. You have the time and space to exercise and progress with a goal to lose weight or tone up or feel stronger and fitter in general.

Yes, you don’t have the money (I assume) for a gym membership, but there are plenty of ways to work out without the gym or a trainer.

• Jog
• Power Walk
• Circuits at home
• Nike Training app
• Other work out apps
• YouTube tutorials
• Bike

 

Get creative

Use this time to channel your inner artist! Whatever way you like to self-express, this is the time to work on your craft. If you have no idea what to do, try something new! Getting creative is a great way to see progress and accomplish things each day. Having my writing to do has always helped me stay afloat when unemployed.

• Write (blog, poetry, short stories, novels, articles, interviews, social media posts etc)
• Draw
• Collages or scrapbooks
• Photography
• Painting
• Interior Design
• Upcycling
• Fashion Design
• YouTube videos and films

 

Volunteer

If you’re struggling to find work, you might as well volunteer your time to work or help out elsewhere. This could be for a charity, too, which helps you to give back and do something worthwhile for a greater cause.

Not only will volunteering help you to keep busy and productive, it will also give you skills and work experience that could increase your chances of being employed.

 

Research careers

Take this time to look deep within and do your research. What do you actually want to do with your life? The big, scary question, I know, but a good one to ask yourself if you’re in the right headspace to do so.

In this time, you could look into all kinds of careers and jobs that you may not have considered before. Then, you just might find an interesting new path to take in life.

Check out National Careers Services for more.

 

Read

Reading is always a good idea! I always say, “when in doubt, read” because I think that no matter how we feel or where we’re at in life, reading will always be a safe space. Plus, the bonus is that you get to be productive, learn new things, and be entertained all at once! Score!

 

Learn

If you’ve got nothing else to do, you might as well teach yourself something new! There are plenty of free resources out there for you to use to teach yourself more about, well,  anything! And of course, you just might teach yourself a new skill that could help you get employed.

• Library
• Museums
• YouTube
• Workshops
• Community centres
• Google!
• Blogs
• Speaking to people/experts
• Reading
• Online courses

 

Wake up, get dressed

It’s important that while you’re unemployed, you don’t get into the easy habit of staying in bed and not getting dressed. Trust me, it’s only a fast-track to depression. Instead, no matter what you have planned (or not) for the day, get up at a reasonable time and get washed and dressed.

Take care of your hygiene and appearance then you will feel much better about yourself and want to do something with your day.

 

Get out the house

And lastly, don’t fall into the trap of staying home all day every day. There is a whole world out there and even you (as an unemployed person) is worthy and able to experience it. So, get outside!

• Go for a walk
• Visit friends or family
• Work, write, read, learn (whatever) from the public library
• Sit in nature
• Chat with a stranger

We all need nature, fresh air and sunshine to feel healthy and happy, so make it a priority in this time of your life.

 

Unemployment can really suck. I’ve been there before and I’m sort of in that right now, to be honest. The important thing is to be productive as much as you can to keep your hopes up and not treat this as a lull in your life. Instead, it’s a part of your life to be used wisely just like any other.

Good luck x