Looking After Yourself When You Are Out of Work
It can be tough when you are out of work. But, understand that some things are out of your control. Additionally, your mental wellbeing is key to moving forward with a better future.
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Understand It Isn't Always Your Fault
There are many reasons why you can be out of work. Redundancy, world events and economic factors are usually to blame. Yet often you can become unemployed or out of work because there has been some kind of incident. For example, you can become injured due to the negligence of another person while at work. In these cases, you can help yourself by understanding it wasn't your fault and that someone else is to blame for your current situation.
Remember, It Can Take Some Time to Find a Job
It can feel like a never-ending and true cycle of hopelessness when you can't find a job. Even at the best of times, you could be up against hundreds of candidates for each application. On average, it takes around six months to find a job. So it can help to remember that when you are applying for role after role. It can be a challenge. But try not to be discouraged. It will take some time. But eventually, you will land an interview for something you want, and you will nail it.
Try to Stay Busy when Out of Work
Languishing at home is one of the easiest things to do when between jobs. However, you can fall into the trap of procrastinating and doing pretty much nothing. The solution is to try to stay busy doing something that takes your time away from worrying about not having a job. This can be a hobby, volunteering, or spending time with family. You could even begin making some money for yourself. For example, you could start a side hustle doing something you enjoy.
Don't Spend All Your Time Job Hunting
You might think that the more jobs you apply for, the better your chances. But you can become frustrated by job hunting and fall into the trap of sending generic resumes to employers. For the best chance of getting a good job, you need to tailor each application to the role. And a generic one will go straight to the bottom of the pile. It's best to spend a couple of hours per day job hunting and applying. This way, you can focus on making your application the best it can be.
Keep Up Self-Care
Studies have shown that being unemployed can cause mild to severe depression. And this can affect your self-care practices. For example, you might neglect to trim your hair, shave, or bathe. And these can be disastrous if you want an interview. Turning up for an interview in such a state is a guarantee of rejection. Therefore, it's vital you stay in good shape and keep yourself well-groomed. The next phone call or letter could be the job you've been waiting for.
Being out of work feels unnatural and can cause anxiety and depression. But you can heal yourself by being patient about it, staying busy, and keeping up with good self-care.