Job Search & Career Blog

Bad habits When unemployed

October 19th, 2007

Unemployment creates routines of its own. Life becomes disconnected in some ways, because other people have their work to do, and their routines are quite different. Being unemployed gives people the opportunity to get into new habits, and some of those habits are destructive.

The lack of “life focus” when unemployed is a tough enough perspective to deal with for anybody. Adding new problems through bad habits is downright dangerous. They can affect income, relationships, health, self esteem, and actually disadvantage an unemployed person even more by reducing resources.

Some bad habits look harmless. They’re anything but:

• Sedentary lifestyle. For people in average health, lack of physical activity only gets dangerous after a while, but lack of mental activity and stimulus is bad for everyone. It can actually cause depression, and for people in below average health, it can be worse, physically reducing basic health. People with heart conditions or preexisting medical conditions are strongly recommended to get medical advice to avoid aggravation by loss of fitness. Anyone over 40 should be aware that they’re of the age when some realistic maintenance of fitness levels has to be done regularly. So don’t allow yourself to get sedentary in the first place.
• Laziness. Arguably worse is a creeping laziness which comes with not having enough to do. Some people react positively to that, and inactivity is such an irritant that they are prompted to become more active than usual. But many people become comfortable with the reduced demands, and that carries over into the home, and life generally. Given a week to do something which can be done in seconds, the lazy person will take a week. It’s a terrible mindset, and it can show when trying to get work, too. It’s also no great help in relationships.


Job Search Motivation
Unmotivated to look for a job
Bandura’s Theory


• Demotivation. This is perhaps the worst of the mindsets which can become a habitual way of life. Lacking the incentives of work, many people become lost, lacking clear objectives, life goals, and meaningful activities. It’s understandable that anyone deprived of those objectives can become disoriented, but it’s very important to start running your own life. Demotivation represents a loss of control, no steering.
• Debt, and living on debt, is highly destructive. The unemployed person is denied an income by definition. Debt adds a burden which can become unbearable. Do not, ever, get into any significant debt while unemployed. It compromises what income might come from benefits, welfare, or occasional casual work, and is a dead weight. The debt can extend itself into basic expenses, sometimes severely. Much better to go without a few minor luxuries than risk being perpetually broke.


Survive Unemployment
Bill Collectors


• Eating into savings. Losing savings is very risky. Superannuation, for example, is both a bit of padding for the future and an income source. If it deteriorates through spending, it loses its ability to make money. That costs you money, and for long term policies, it can be a lot of money. If your super is making you $1000 a month, and you reduce it by 10%, you’re costing yourself an extra $1200 a year, plus the compound effect. It’ll take you 11 months just to get back where you started, and you’re still losing money on the extra earnings. Other savings are equally at risk, because your ability to maneuver financially is decreased if you spend. Moral of the story is just don’t spend, if you can help it.
• Bad habits, generally.
• Sleeping late is a joy, but it’s lousy use of time, and you ultimately have to catch up with what you could have already done.
• Glued to the TV. Not so easy to do these days, but a real waste of time. Does nothing for communications skills, gives a terrible impression to friends, let alone strangers, and more seriously takes your attention away from things you do need to do.
• Stuck on the computer games. Sadly, the amount of time you can spend on things like computer games really can be used to get an income. For fanatical gamers, maybe a very good income. Do it as a reward for getting something useful done, so you can play with a clear mind.
• Chemical romances with whatever happens to be there. Just don’t. You’ve got enough problems. Expensive, unhealthy, risky.
• Letting yourself get behind with your own ideas, hopes and goals. For a quick reality check, this is the classic, and it always hurts. Don’t let it happen.
• Excuses. There’s always a reason for anything, but that doesn’t make it a good reason. Sometimes not even a plausible reason. Don’t insult your own intelligence. If something needs doing, do it.

Getting out of the ruts

There are so many pitfalls to being unemployed that it’s more like an obstacle course than a life, sometimes. Being unemployed has nothing to recommend it. There are a lot of ways of staying out of the danger zones.

1. Friends. Nothing is more priceless than a true friend, and they don’t just watch when you need some help. They’re also trustworthy sounding boards, and reliable critics, not nitpickers or snipers. Stay in contact, ask questions, and be aware that anything they do for you isn’t being done for no reason.

2. Volunteering. It does make an impression when you offer to help. It’s also a good way of learning new skills, and doing something useful and meaningful. It also creates a focus. Some voluntary work does lead to paid work, but it’s also a respectable character reference, and many employers will recognize the effort (Many major league businesses in fact sponsor charities, and their managers are directly involved in those charities, so It adds a lot to your status.) It also represents a level of responsibility, and proves you can handle that level of personal commitment. You can even prove that to yourself.

Volonteering
Job Search Issues

3. Your own projects. Everybody has something they would “like to do if they had the time”. So do it. Skills can get rusty, motivation can get fuzzy. Even if outlays are a problem, you can use the time finding your way around them, not just “keeping occupied”, but achieving something you want for yourself. Sometimes a commercial idea is born, sometimes a lifetime dream finally gets a chance to happen. Be creative, because you do have the opportunity.

This isn’t just mouthwash from the Politically Correct Cheerleading Squad. All of this comes from personal experience.

Do it yourself, because it’s definitely not going to do it for you.

Do nothing, and you beat yourself.

Some interesting Links on unemployment:

send the docs to yourself.

Photo Credit : khalilshah

This entry was posted on Friday, October 19th, 2007 at 6:36 am and is filed under Unemployment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

3 Responses to “Bad habits When unemployed”

1. Giz Says:
   November 30th, 1999 at 12:00 am

   Given a certain spiral of events does occur, what should a person do about this? Obviously number one should be to change all of these bad habits. But how does one change what a former employer is going to say when they ask for your last place of work was. What is a good way to show this?

2. 992 Says:
   January 27th, 2007 at 6:37 am

   Yeah, being unemployed can start a crazy nasty spiral and the next thing you know you are broke, have made everybody mad, and are losing your things. Yeah, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy is key, and keeping motivated is important. Make looking for a job and getting a job your new job, until you find one that pays you. That is the kind of dedication and mindset that will get things fixed quicker than just letting it all fall apart.

3. Unemployment Survival Tactics | Cvtips Blog Says:
   January 19th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

   […] Don’t just ‘hang out’. Avoid the sleaze, and sleazy people. Having time on your hands can be risky, and you can be drawn […]

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