Here's how to... stay positive when you're unemployed

How much of who you are is defined by what you do for a living? Probably a lot more than you realise. Perhaps the best test of this is when you’re forced to answer the king of all small talk questions:

“What do you do for a living?”
“Me? Oh nothing. I’m unemployed.”

Or words that effect. Phrase it however you like, the reaction is likely to be the same - general awkwardness and embarrassment all round.

Whether you were made redundant, or decided to resign, if you don’t have something else to go to, you’ve just been catapulted into a whole new world. A world with no dreaded early morning bleep of alarm clocks, and as much daytime TV as your eyes and ears can take. Although during stressed-out deadline riddled long days at the office this kind of lifestyle might sound like a dream, in reality, it can be pretty scary.

OK, you don’t have a job. Now what?

First of all do nothing. For a short while at least. If you’ve found yourself unemployed chances are you got to that place through some kind of stressful or emotional times. So give yourself a break, relax and get some perspective on what you’ve just dealt with. Once you’ve done this you can start looking ahead.

BUT I DON’T HAVE A JOB?!

Yes, you may find yourself repeating the above in varying degrees of hysteria, because being without the familiar daily routine can leave you with a sense of unreality. And this might go on for some time. Even once you dive headlong into the new job-searching process, with weeks stretching between closing dates and interviews, applications can often be a long-winded affair.

So how do you keep your chin up when every day’s a weekend?

If you do one thing, do three things
Without the structure a nine til five used to offer, days can quickly slip by in a haze of job hunting and household chores. All too easily you can be left with a sense of having achieved very little. Make a list of three things every morning and resolve to have ticked them off by teatime. Try doing one difficult task, one you enjoy and follow it up with a non work related treat - whether that’s as simple as a nice big brew or a walk around the block.

Stay in touch
The land of unemployment can be a lonely place which gives you too much time to think and dwell on the future. Keep yourself busy, all those “I’d love to see you but just can’t squeeze you in!” excuses really don’t cut it now. Use your newly spare time to catch up with friends and family and chat about how you’re feeling.

Healthy body, healthy brain
Staying fit is key to staying upbeat. If your pricey gym membership is one of the things you’ve had to ditch as part of your tighter budget you can still get the adrenaline pumping and some lungfuls of fresh air with a power walk or bike ride. The good news is neither of these will cost you a bean!

Volunteer
Although reinstating a regular income is no doubt top of your priority list, don’t dismiss a bit of volunteering in the short term. It’ll give your CV a big boost, help explain career gaps to future employers, add to your skills and also benefits others. What’s not to like?

Learn!
You’ve got a whole load of spare time on your hands, so make the most of it - why not learn something new? Whether you’ve always wanted to try knitting, learn to breakdance or research your family tree, now’s a great time to give it a go. And it needn’t cost a fortune either - join your local library for free and take advantage of the resources they have on offer. Note: if breakdancing really is your thing you may need to look further afield than the library.

So next time someone asks you what you do during a jobless phase you can tell them with pride: “I study, I keep fit, I volunteer, and MORE!”

Look at your spell out of the job market in a different way, and you may just come to see it as a brilliant opportunity.

By Lindsay, a Nottingham-based comms/PR girl. She's a fan of cider, sun-lounging, Coronation Street and Take That (but we won't hold that against her!).