Q: In a few days I am likely going to lose my job. I do not mind the loss of income all that much and I think that my family and I can get by when we need to count our pennies, but I am worried about all of that extra time I am going to have on my hands. I am a hard worker, and I have been all of my life, keeping myself busy most of the time. Being unemployed means, to me, that I will not have much to do. I am going to have too much free time and that is going to drive me crazy. Do you have any suggestions?
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A: Your assumption that you are going to have a lot of free time when you are unemployed is probably incorrect. Being unemployed is hard work.
Think of all that you will have to do after your job is terminated:
- You will have to check in with your employment agencies to make sure you are registered and receiving whatever benefits to which you are entitled.
- You will have to renegotiate your loans and accounts with your creditors.
- You need to put together a resume to be ready to apply for other jobs.
- You need to study the employment ads in newspapers and on websites to satisfy yourself that you are not missing out on opportunities.
- You need to pound on as many doors as you can, letting prospective employers know that you are willing and able to work for them.
All of this takes time and energy. Don’t worry about being bored.
When unemployed, it is important to keep your day as structured as you can. Get up the same time you did when you were working, prepare yourself for the day much the same as you are doing now and have a to-do list of chores and responsibilities that need your attention.
Have lunch when you usually have lunch and if you have been used to taking coffee breaks, keep them going when you are not at work.
The unemployed need to be neat and tidy all the time. Who knows when you are likely to run into someone who might be interestedin hiring you? Job opportunities arrive in the strangest places. You want to be ready to take advantage of the moment, no matter how unusual it might be.
Perhaps the biggest challenge is dealing with discouraging moments when you thought you had a chance for a new position and it doesn’t materialize.
These are hard times for you, and you need as much support and encouragement as you can get, hopefully from your family and those of your friends who know your talents. They can remind you of your merit when you are unable to do so yourself.
Don’t be afraid to embellish whatever praise you get and appreciate your own self worth.
You can withdraw into the bedroom when you have one or two bouts of sadness or depression, knowing that they too will pass.
You will be able to resume fulfilling your need for optimism once they have gone.
The economy in Western Canada is not struggling as much as it is elsewhere, but neither is it as vibrant as it was a few months ago. Many of our friends and neighbours are also unemployed, so you are not alone. You do not need to be embarrassed or ashamed.
However, you do need to be determined, and the more you can challenge this moment of historical discretion in your well being, the more likely it is that you will pass through it with a reinforced sense of personal worth.
Jacklin Andrews is a family counsellor from Saskatchewan who has taught social work at two universities. Mail correspondence in care of Western Producer, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or e-mail jandrews@producer.com.
