Whether you have found yourself suddenly unemployed or if you chose to leave your previous position. Being unemployed takes a toll on you in more ways than you would believe. When working in a job we don’t like we spend our time wishing we could just leave. But in reality we need to work in order to live, whether by being employed by a business or following our own passions and turning it into a business. Just remember that everything happens for a reason and that things will work out in the end. Things may get really tough, but if you are persistent and maintain a positive attitude you will get through it.
I quit my job in June 2017 and didn’t really know what was in store for me next. My posts relating to my story are linked below. At first I was applying for new roles, then as of September 2017 I decided to set up my own business. In the first couple of months after I quit, I experienced huge sense of relief from not being in my previous role. But unemployment is definitely not an easy ride. I am going to share with you my tips on how to stay sane throughout unemployment, these are areas in which I have struggled with myself throughout my journey. I understand that everyone’s experience will be different and we all have different pressures, for example, financial. The areas I am mentioning are those that anyone can apply to their situation.
Tips For Surviving Unemployment:
1. Take A Break
When you first become unemployed I am a big believer in taking a break. Whether you need to take a day or a couple of months, give yourself time to clear your head. Comes to terms with your situation and what has happened in the past. Get rid of all the negative energy and prepare yourself to move on. Spend time doing things that you enjoy or things you never previously had time for.
2. Create An Action Plan
Once you have had some time to yourself and are in a positive mindset. Make a plan of what you want to do next. Will you start applying for new roles or retrain? Or do you want to go self employed? You need to decide which path you are going to take and exactly what you need to do to get there.
3. Make A Schedule
As tempting as it is, try not to lay in bed until the afternoon. After you have had your break it is time to get back into a routine. If you are applying for roles, set out your day so that you are productive during working hours. Otherwise heading back to work is going to be a shock. If you are going to go self employed, depending on your type of business, get into a work routine as soon as possible. In all honesty I still struggle with this at the moment. On the other hand I do enjoy being able to work whenever I want. If you are passionate about what you are doing, chances are you won’t need to force yourself to sit and work.
4. Be Social
This area affected me more than I realised when I left my job. I was spending 50/60+ hours of my week surrounded by colleagues and alot of interaction was with customers. I didn’t realise how much I would miss interacting with people throughout the day. When I first became unemployed I didn’t want to make loads of plans as I was saving money until I got into another role. Now that I am self employed I am making sure that I plan and go and meet friends. One of my reasons for leaving my previous role was because it didn’t leave alot of time for my own life. So I am making sure that this area doesn’t get neglected again. It is tough when you are trying to keep spending to a minimum, but there are ways in which you can meet friends without having to spend alot of money.
5. Take Care Of Yourself
Don’t let unemployment get to you and make you feel down. When we feel sad it is so easy to stop doing things for yourself. This can also be due to a change in our daily routine. This is a vicious cycle as not taking care of ourselves is going to make us feel even worse. Find what works best for you, for example, girls – if you are at home everyday you may stop putting on makeup. But you may benefit from doing it every now and then to make yourself feel better and boost your self esteem. Remember to treat yourself to a pamper night every now and then. Try and set yourself time out of your day to tidy and clean your living environment, this will help you keep a clear mind. If you are predominantly at home all day, make sure you are going out regularly, even if just for a walk.
6. Keep moving / daily exercise
Similar to the last point it is so important to exercise or just keep moving. When I first left my job I spent alot of time blogging, which meant I wasn’t walking around alot. I got so bloated during this time it made me start working out. When we exercise, we feel good about ourselves. If you aren’t into intense workouts try walking. I use the pedometer on my phone to track my steps. I have a daily activity goal of 1 hour and the generic step goal is 10000. To boost your mood even further make sure you are eating a balanced diet and drinking lots of water. All of these things contribute to your mental health and how you feel about yourself.
Hopefully these tips have helped if you are currently unemployed. Or maybe have shared some insight if you are that person thinking about quitting your job. I have linked some posts below that you may find useful to read which explain more about what I took into consideration before I left my role and the reasons for doing so. If you would like more posts on this topic, leave your post suggestion in a comment below.
If you need any advice or just want a chat, feel free to send me an email: hayleyxmartinblog@gmail.com
Read My Career Related Posts:
- Why I Quit My Graduate Job
- 5 Things I Considered Before Resigning From My Job
- Redesign Your CV For Free
6 Comments
These are really good tips. Anything to stay motivated is good.
http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/
Thanks for reading Courtney xx
I don’t currently work due to health reasons, but these tips are super important and helpful. Having a schedule for the day ahead is really handy. I couldn’t get through the day without one haha x
Lauren | itslaurenvictoria.blogspot.co.uk
I’m glad the post was helpful! Thanks for reading Lauren! xx
Great tips, Hayley! I graduated university 2 and a half years ago but had a hard time getting a job, but I was able to land an unpaid internship and a part time job as a graphic designer (which I got fired in 2 weeks later, but that was another story…it was a toxic environment, the bosses were horrible, and one of them ended up being arrested for stealing $100k worth of clients’ money). Then I got a paid internship last year and worked there for 2 months. Afterward, I had the hardest time finding a job. Interview after interview, application, only to get that “We thank you for your time, unfortunately we have found someone who matches our qualifications better…” letter. It took me a year to get the job I have now. It was not easy and I can definitely relate to having an unstructured schedule, and waking up so late from being depressed about not working. But it’s never easy for anyone whether you are unemployed not by choice or trying to go the freelance route.
Hannah
Floraful
Oh wow, the experience you had with the part-time graphic designer job, shocking!! It is so difficult to get a job these days, I would love to know who gets the jobs in the end. I also thought recently, surely it actually makes sense to employ someone that doesn’t have a job, but I guess the world doesn’t work that way. Here in the UK people always say it’s easier to get a job if you are already employed.
Your experience just goes to show that persistence pays off in the long run! xx