Being unemployed sucks. I know, I’ve been there. The first few days of sleeping in and watching money heist while everyone you know is slaving away at their desks is great. But once the novelty wears off, you start to panic.
You haven’t changed out of your pajamas for two days. Your bills pile up, and you realize your emergency fund won’t last forever. The realities of unemployment start to get REAL.
I engaged in some passive job hunting but it wasn’t enough to keep my mind busy and I started to feel like I was going crazy because you can only write so many cover letters in a day.
Things turned around though. I learnt to invest in myself and thrive in unemployment which in turn led me to getting out of unemployment.
While we might not be able to control being unemployed, we can control how we react to it.
The key is to keep your brain occupied while staying productive.
For the first week of unemployment life, give yourself a break and treat it like the weekend. Sleep in, watch Friends reruns, eat pizza for breakfast. But after your makeshift weekend, it’s Monday morning and you’re back on the clock. If you were a 9 to 5’ in your previous life, wake up like you normally would and start getting ready for your day. Once you’re presentable, start tackling any of the below;
1. Invest in your knowledge
Remember how in primary school you would go for long holidays and when you come back, you would have to relearn your handwriting because you did not practice? Reading is a fantastic way to keep your mind sharp while unemployed. Also listen to podcast and watch videos that add value to you as much as you can for as long as you can.
You can also take a free online course and learn a new skill.
TIP: Do what interests you. It easier to develop a reading culture or learn a skill if it is what you love.
2. Invest in your relationships
Relationships add more value to who we are. The more they grow, the more value they will have and the more valuable benefits you will see.
Unemployment gave me the much needed time to settle in and spent time with my family and friends. I was present because I had nothing else to do.
I did not understand how much my career mean to my identity until I lost my job. My career was how I defined myself and how others defined me and this I realized was a huge mistake. Because job come and go but confidence needs to be a constant.
Why you ask? Self-confidence will determine whether you stand up for yourself or not. It will determine whether you find the courage to leave a dysfunctional relationship or continue staying in one. It will make you act on your business plan or not. And it will mostly be the determining factor in whether you succeed or not.
4. Insure yourself
Insurance is totally boring, I know. However, it is also necessary. When in employment, your employer pays your NHIF(National Health Insurance Fund) and NSSF(National Social Security Fund) and it is crucial you continue this payment yourself.
When it comes to health insurance specifically, you have many other affordable options than the traditional route so it’s important to shop around. The point is though, you need to protect yourself, and your family, and insuring yourself allows for that peace of mind.
5. Organize Your Home
Unemployment is an excellent opportunity to get organized. Embark on some spring cleaning, go through old boxes, and get rid of the things you don’t need. Streamlining your life will help you dive head first into the next chapter, plus it helps you feel like your unemployed time is spent productively.
6.Invest in your health
Much like organizing your home, another good way to keep yourself enthusiastic and healthy is to exercise. Invest in personal exercise every day. You now have the time. Although this might not feel like it is that important when you’re young and energetic but your future body will thank you for the effort you put in now.
So do something every day to get moving and get your heart rate up, even, if it’s just walking to the supermarket.
7. Invest in your creativity
This is the perfect time for you to start turning your creativity into a side hustle.
A young boy aiming to become an artist will spend countless hours practicing and implementing new techniques in order for him to one day produce a master piece. We can constantly set out time to deliberately work on creating something new. Spend an hour a day coming up with a business idea, work on your talent, improving an area in your life or improving your relationships and over time your creativity will be at its all-time peak.
8. Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude greatly improves physical and psychological health, helps cultivate better relationships, and makes you happier. Keep a daily gratitude journal or spend a few minutes each day listing 5 things that you are truly grateful for.
Aside from the financial woes it might create, unemployment can sometimes be a blessing in disguise, helping you take care of things you've been putting off, building career skills, or even pushing you in a totally new direction in life — that is, if you choose to use your time away from the workplace wisely.
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