How to Succeed at Unemployment

You were fired. You quit. However it came to be, you are currently unemployed. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the unemployment rate currently stands at 5.5% [ May 2008 ]

I know what it's like- I recently became unemployed myself. The first week was great-total liberation. I could live life on my own terms. I could stay up late and sleep in the morning (or all day if I wanted!) I had more free time than I'd had in years. A few more days came and went and weeks went by. Soon the glimmer of being jobless started to fade.

I still needed to keep up with my expenses. Grocery bills still added up. I still needed to fuel my car. These days, everything was adding up to more than usual. Unemployment was starting to get really depressing. One day, after updating my status on Facebook, I turned on Oprah (Dr. Oz was on) and began to eat Ben & Jerry's right out of the container. Suddenly I caught myself. A little voice inside me said, "Drop the spoon and snap to it." It was then that I realized that I'd become an unemployment cliché.

I had two choices: I could continue down the lazy, comfortable path with Oprah, Ben, and Jerry or I could embrace the opportunities that unemployment offered. I thought about it and I chose the road less taken. I wanted to take advantage of the freedom joblessness gave me.

Unemployment really is an opportunity. It gives you a chance to take stock of your life. Are you heading where you want to go? Are you doing what you're meant to do? Now is the time to change careers if you want; you have nothing to lose. Now is the time to reflect and reacquaint yourself with, well, yourself. It's easy to squander days upon days, but job or no job, this is your life...this is my life...and we need a plan.

Establish A Routine

During the week, I set my alarm for 9 a.m. On weekends, I allow myself to sleep in-just as I did when I was working. Getting up at a reasonable time keeps my body in rhythm and puts me in the mode of being productive-even if my productivity only amounts to completing two sudoku puzzles and reading the newspaper. Even in unemployment, it's important to stick to a routine.

Work It Off

Contrary to popular belief, unemployment is a job. Unfortunately, the pay is pretty cruddy. To succeed at unemployment, you have to essentially 'work it off.' Set aside a few hours each day to search for jobs online, send resumes, make follow-up phone calls, set up job interviews, and network. Once your unemployment work is completed for the day, you are free to pursue the other items on this list.

Rediscover Childhood Joy

When I was younger, I loved to climb trees, draw, dance, write, and cook. I lived in reality, but like most children, I also lived in a vivid imagination of my own creation. The point being: I lived every moment of every day.

I recently picked up a sketchbook for the first time in a dozen years. Now I'm drawing every day and having fun with it. I joined a hiking club through Meetup. I baked an apple pie from scratch. In short, I've rediscovered what it is to be me-something I'd lost with the frenetic pace of adulthood. Rediscovering activities that you enjoy puts you in touch with your own talents. Knowing your strengths and talents will help you secure a job that's, both a good fit and worthy of your potential.

Become A Tourist

Once you've lived somewhere for a certain length of time, your surroundings become stagnant. You stop exploring. You get into the mode of 'work, home, eat, sleep, repeat.' You don't see your hometown as a destination in the way that tourists do, but maybe you should.

It's surprising how few people venture beyond their neighborhood. When I first came to California, I couldn't drive down the street without looking in awe at the palm trees. Now, I have to remind myself to notice. Check out a tour guide of your city. Go to the zoo. Visit that art exhibit you've always meant to see. Pretend you're French and spend a couple of hours people-watching at a local café. Buy your groceries at an ethnic market for a change. Stroll through the mall on a Monday morning when most people are at work.

Make Time Matter

When you're unemployed, all the time in the world can be over with a snap of your fingers and a job offer. While you've got the time, think about things you've been putting off. Do you have a will? None of us know how much time we have. Start thinking about it. Meet with a financial planner to discuss retirement and better investments for the money you do have. If you hate your health plan, your cell phone carrier, your bank, or [insert any number of items here] but you've never had time to deal with it, now's your chance. Make a change today.

If you've made the most of your unemployment phase, it will be easier to transition into a working life again. You will be refreshed, you'll know yourself a little bit more, and you'll have the energy to approach a new position in the working world with an optimistic attitude.