9 Things To Do When Unemployed

I came across a phrase once whilst reading a book by David Carnegie,“when given a lemon, make lemon squash”. Quite a valuable quote which can be applied to many situations especially when you find yourself somewhere you don’t want to be.What the author is trying to tell us is that we need to adapt and make do with what we have been given to rise above it, rather than sit and worry about it. Therefore let us apply the mechanics of that quote and see which 9 things we can do whilst being unemployed.

Our biggest concern when we are unemployed is losing that flow of money. For some people it is quite difficult to find employment. What’s important during this period of being unemployed is to keep yourself active. In-activeness can have an adverse effect on your psychological state, such as depression. It’s about making effective use of your time, in other words making your lemon squash.

The following recommendations are to help you remain productive, improve your chances of employment and maintain a healthy state of mind. I am sure you will benefit one way or another from these.

What to do:

1. Self-Reflect – It is not very often that you have this amount of time available to you. Possibly this is the first time you are in such a situation. This space gives you time to reflect upon your life and career. It enables you to put things into perspective. You may consider changing career, restructuring your life and discovering yourself.

2. Voluntary Work – Nobody likes working for free but engaging in some voluntary work helps you:

· Boosts your CV, as this demonstrates to future employers that you are proactive and willing to make a difference.
· Offering your services can be self-rewarding in its self.
· Keep your mind active.
· Allows you interact with others who are possibly in the same position as you.

3. Courses – Depending on your finances or what funds you can access,investing in a course can be profitable. There are many academic institutions offering short courses online and even locally nowadays. Some individuals may even consider going to university, obviously that needs more time and money. A short course may give you access to new channels of employment, but also fills in some gaps in your resume. By all means do not simply complete a course for the sake of it, choose something you have an interest for.

4. Seminars – From time to time you hear of seminars which are free. These are beneficial for you to attend. They usually about recent developments of certain industries or occupations. More importantly it is an opportunity to engage with other individuals. Connecting with people is the way forward. You have everything to gain nothing to lose. Universities and colleges are often having seminars. Visit their social media platforms regularly to find out when they are taking place.

5. Keeping fit – Incorporating some fitness in your daily schedule is of the utmost important. In Greek there is a saying “Νους υγιής εν σώματι υγιεί” which means “healthy body healthy mind”, and this originates from thousands of years ago. This doesn’t mean going to the gym, you can exercise in the comfort of your own home or even go for a walk or run in the park. Be regular.

6. Remain current – It is advisable to try to remain current with your main profession. You may want to register with a certain association who may update you on new publications, laws and regulations, standards, technologies etc. You have a lot of time to access an abundance of information. As Sir Francis Bacon once said, "Knowledge is power", at some point you will apply this, you never leave on the ledge what you know.

7. Start a blog – People are more and more engaging themselves in the area of blogging. Although this needs time (which you have), and dedication (depends on you), this can turn out to be quite fulfilling and financially rewarding. I have been blogging for a few months now and I am enjoying it. The blogging has kept my mind active and focused. I am sure you have something unique of your own to share with an audience. A blog reflects the individual which makes it so unique. Try it and see what happens. It’s free, fun and refreshing.

8. Organising your room – Free time gives you an opportunity to arrange your personal stuff in your room. Don’t underestimate this. It took me a few weeks to organize my cupboards, draws etc. I threw so much stuff away from my early years, got rid of clothes and other junk I didn’t need, which later I sold on eBay for some extra cash. A bit of cash doesn’t harm anyone from time to time. You will be surprised what you will find. It also gives you the chance to see what you didn’t know you had. It gave me the opporuntiy to do some filing of my own, for example; bank statements, bills, employment information etc.

9. Generating Business Ideas – Having that free time to engage in some research into your local market may unravel a prospective business idea. A friend of mine once said to me, visiting department stores is a wonderful place to see what is not being offered to customers. You will be surprised with what you might come up with. Some of the most innovative and quirky ideas arise during recessions, and i am sure some of you have been a witness to this.

In the meantime you need to be looking out for any job opportunities, the above will not prevent you from searching for employment, they will make your time being unemployed more interesting whilst on the lookout.

Having free time is a luxury sometimes. When employed we usually complain how we don’t have enough time on our hands to do those things we want to do, so now is the time.

You can either see the glass half empty or half full. I choose to see it half full. What about you?