Being Productive When Unemployed

Unemployment stinks! Losing your job doesn’t mean you have to spend your days sitting on the couch, though. According to a recent article at Business Insider, there are a number of ways to make the most of being unemployed. These include:

• Changing your Attitude
• Staying Busy with Hobbies and Volunteer Work
• Asking for Help
• Avoiding Unproductive Activities (like overeating)

These are all great tips! If you find yourself without a job, here are even more tips you can use to make the most out of your time:

• Update your resume and cover letter.

If you’re hoping to find a job, now’s the time to review your paperwork. Many community centers even have free help for those who are unemployed to allow you to create a better resume and cover letter, so you have a better chance at getting a job when you apply.

• Work on home projects.

While waiting for those job interview calls, you can get stuff done around the house. Right now, you may not have tons of money for renovations, but you can do small fixes, as well as handle the cooking and cleaning (especially if you have a spouse who is working). You can also take care of the children to avoid childcare cost, do the yard work yourself instead of hiring someone to do it, and clip coupons to save money at the grocery store.

• Take some classes.

In many cases, if you qualify for unemployment, you also qualify for free education at local colleges. Now’s the perfect time to go back to school for more career education! Even if you don’t get your degree, taking some classes can make it easier to find a job, and as an added bonus, you’ll be able to take advantage of the school’s career service department and alumni network programs to help you find a job. You might even be able to take classes online.

• Check out other locations.

Losing your job might give you the perfect excuse to do something daring and making a move. Have you always wanted to live at the beach? Do you dream of a home in the mountains? Does working in a foreign country seem like an exciting prospect? This might be your chance to do it! Take some time to at least explore the various location options open to you.

Unemployment doesn’t have to sink you. Look at this as a time to find a job you really love, rather than as a bad thing. It might be tough, but with hard work, you’ll make it through and find a job you like even better than your last one!