Tuesday, May 11, 2010

How to Deal with Being Unemployed

I have no schedule, no routine.  It's seriously effing with my mind.  My coping mechanisms of late revolve around the following activities:
  •  Sleeping in
  • Attempting to make potable coffee with the shittiest Mr Coffee on the planet
  • Watching marathons of Real Housewives of New York/New Jersey/Orange County
  • Taking 5+ mile walks listening to whiny music
  • Applying for every job on the internet I can get my grubby little mitts on
  • Cuddling with a 8-pound ball of terror
  • Cleaning out closets and scrubbing the kitchen counters
  • Taking more walks
  • Practicing calligraphy and contemplating extensive wedding DIY with what supplies I have on-hand
  • Read Twilight novels and search Monster for jobs involving "being a sparkly vampire."
  • Conducting extensive internet research on cheap mini-moon locations that do not involve Hurricane Alley
My normal reactions to stress involve nesting and baking, but I am afraid to venture into the kitchen too much.  I like to eat my feelings and frankly that is just not going to help.  I feel a million times better this week than I did last week, but my emotions are still very close to the surface.  The walks are helping with that, at least.

How do you cope with a major life change like this?
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4 comments:

  1. I'm sorry you're going through a tough time, I can only imagine. I would probably be dealing with it much the way you are. I would also recommend hanging out with friends/loved ones - that always makes me feel better.

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  2. I was unemployed for several months out of college, living with my then boyfriend's (now fiance) parents. Before I got there I was at my sister's empty apartment, sitting and sleeping on the couch, eating cheerios, and applying to jobs all day online. I got into a rut and it's the hardest thing to crawl out of.

    What worked for me was making finding a job my job. I made a daily schedule, one that was similar to if I was working a job. I also called in all the favors I could - family members, friends, anyone I knew that was employed. I also applied to jobs and companies that didn't even have job postings. I wrote a unique cover letter for every company and wrote thank you notes for any contact or response I got. Tweaked my resume for different job fields. I did all that from 8-5 and then after that I forgot about it and did something fun.

    It sucks being unemployed but being active about it and putting the job stuff away after 5pm helped me to relax and feel better about it.

    You can do it! Use your creativity and your entire social media arsenal (blog, twitter, facebook, linkedin) - you'll get it done and maybe find a job you enjoy even more than your last!

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  3. I would probably be doing the exact same thing as you only my day would probably consist of a lot more boredom eating, so you're already ahead of the game.

    Oh & "search Monster for jobs involving "being a sparkly vampire." made me giggle. ;)

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  4. You should totally jump on my eBay bandwagon. Go through the closets & start a huge pile of stuff you no longer use/wear! You'll be surprised what people will buy! It's a great way to make a little extra money (and to pass some time!).

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