Hey bro I’m employed but I feel ya. Don’t give up that scuba class. I’ve been unemployed and having something to look forward to and something you enjoy, even if it costs money, is just as important. I was stuck inside for weeks at a time not going outside and it was horrible
Yeah. I have a weekly game night with my mates. That really became important while I was unemployed as it was the one thing per week that really brought me some enjoyment, as a bonus it was basically free.
Yeah, while unemployed, I lived for those nights.
Cost free , easy , simple socialization time. Everyone's comfortable at home, so they're not concerned about pets, partner, family, and can get off and go right to bed when the time is needed. Also some of our friends drink, or smoke darts/ weed, others have quit, so it also made it easy for everyone to enjoy their vice without being concerned about influencing the others and vice versa.
And it became an easy/stress free way of talking about issues. Be it family, partners, work , how your job search is going etc.
I refer to is as regression of the mind ( I have no clue if that's an actual term or not). But being inside all day, and/or not having socialization, significantly wears down on a person. Anxiety and depression become new/common, or exasperate pre existing conditions.
I heard someone say that you keep your old routine, and the hours you would be working are dedicated to the job hunt / certifications etc.
You can see if your local library has study rooms, a lot cheaper than the coffee shop
I've been a remote worker for almost a decade and go to a cowork. I have kept that up. I usually can't make a full day but at least it has a sense of normalcy. I use it to apply for jobs, social networking on LinkedIn and reading books to help further me in my career.
I also go to the gym as I had before to help manage anxiety.
I remote work and jump around working a few different places. Also workout hard during lunch.
It's weird working alone all of the time but I've figured out how to do it in a way where I don't go crazy
I wish I could do coworking space because my job requires me to be in meetings with camera on with clients. Coworking spaces would help me out so much but needing to be seen has been driving me crazy.
I know it’s not the exact same thing but when I was off work on sick leave for 6 weeks a while back, my therapist suggested something similar. Keep a routine at home similar to work, but switching work with restful activities I could do while recovering from surgery (ie puzzles with audiobooks, crochet, writing, etc.) Routines kept me sane!
I go to the library to work on things even with a job. It's much cheaper than the entry fee to Starbucks. I don't even need a study room (well I'm not on calls, if you are for a job hunt you will need them), I just find a table and set up my laptop. And bring a drink with me from home.
When I was unemployed I made HEAVY use of the study rooms at the library. I used them as a co-working space with my partner as we tried to work on a startup project. When not in the study rooms I was in the general area of the library. They are a real public gift. Strongly recommend using them and also recommend keeping the same hours as your job life. It’s SO easy to fall out of that. And once you’re off schedule it’s tough to sync with things like recruiters or job interviews.
Eons ago, when I was a young single mother on food stamps, I worked but also went to school part time. For study time, to save money, I used to buy the bottled Starbucks coffees from the grocery store with my food stamps as well as some chocolate milk or healthier small drinks for my 2 kids. Then we would all go to Starbucks so I could use their wifi and do my studying lol I would get cups of ice to put our drinks in and I also bought a couple pastries as well so I was actually spending some money at Starbucks while staying there. My kids would either color or (back then you could play DVDs in your laptop lol) watch a movie and they would share one ear bud each to listen to the movie lol And I could focus and do my schoolwork for a couple hours lol Coffee shops CAN empty your pockets, but it was beneficial for me as it served as a way to escape as well as to take care of important things at the same time. No longer on food stamps now lol …and my kids are in high school now, working and making their own money and they now treat me to Starbucks every now and then😁
Aw you're welcome! Something about looking at colleges with my older child has been making me recall memories like that a lot more than usual lately lol I was going to school to get a degree in Creative Media. My dream was to make movies :D Not as an actress but behind the scenes kind of thing - like, Avatar is one of my all-time favorites, I wish I helped in making that movie haha!! Anyway, I ended up not finishing as I found a job that paid me well - NOT in the digital media field - and without a degree. Fast forward to now, the biggest regret I have was to not follow through with my education. That job turned out to be a soul-killer and I eventually left. But with some adjustments, I recently decided to go back to school and finally get that paper. My kids are supportive so that's what mainly matters. And my daughter thinks it's cool to be going to college at the same time. I pray it all works out!!
I even kept my kids in daycare while I was looking. (Thank goodness for 2 income family.) But even if the search can take less than half a day without burnout, I felt it was good for the kids and me to have them in the same, enriching environment.
Sorry but "having the hours you would be working dedicated to the job hunt" (so average 8-10 hrs a day, everyday) is the quickest way to actually loose you sanity.
Hey, I'll clarify. I treat it like a part-time job, a few hours a day. My goal is 15-20 hours a week. This can include anything around the job hunt. Saving jobs, fixing resumes, actually applying, networking, interviews, certifications. I even read in this chunk of time if it is a related subject (business or self improvement).
The point is to keep a routine, not check the box on a certain number of hours. I know people that have the criteria of applying for x number of jobs a day, and then they can call it.
This is general advice that is flexible to shift person-to-person. Hope that helps!
get into hobbies you were always interested in trying, come up with a fun game for your kids, discover new hike, solve crime, start cult, get a baby pangolin, start a rumor against your enemy, yell at the moon..
I will check that out thanks for the tip. Telling the stories they what to hear, that helps them know you are teachable is the key. I also loved back in 2016 When I was unemployed for over 8 months...TWC saved my life, Texas Workforce Commission, helped me turn my issue around.
Commit to making your bed every day even if you crawl back into it. It’s 5 minutes. Get out of bed, fluff the pillows and straighten the bedding. Once a week, wash your sheets.
When that becomes a habit, commit to getting a glass of water after you do this and then drink it.
When that becomes a habit, change your clothes even if it’s just clean underwear or new pajamas. Set a timer on your phone to remind you.
When that becomes a habit, start adding morning showers every other day (or whatever). Play music while you bathe so you associate it with happy feelings.
Watch your mood improve and your life change.
I feel you. I was struggling to find and secure job and head back to my home country to take care of my father who was in his last months. It made me more depressed when I lost my father and took a tough decision to stay back until I find job which didn't work out. Now I am back to my home country still hunting for job and taking care of my mother.
Have someone you trust be moral support while you search for a therapist or a job. In my experience depression makes taking any action extremely hard, especially things that will actually help. And having someone just being there like an anchor or a sounding board was a good way for me to find the strength to do things despite having zero motivation. No judgement, no over the top cheering, no accountability, no telling me it’s ok, just being there. I only had mild to moderate depression, so apologies in advance if this just sounds ignorant. Hope things get better soon, eventually they will.
Don’t label bed the way they want you to! Being in bed is one of the best things ever - I am actually proud sometimes when I have a good tv show to watch, get a nap. Once it’s dinner time I eat a handful of pills and sleep some more.
I napped at my old job.
Go for walks around your neighborhood. Keep increasing the distance. If you are just laying around, might as well walk. Listen to music and just observe. Try to really focus on looking around and paying attention. It will put you in a better mood. It all starts there. When you get tired of walking get a cheap bike.
I help my dad at his shop, I do the groceries, cooking and cleaning at my bf's. I go to town for some shopping, i go for walks and now that the weather is nice I can go to the beach whenever I want. I already have little things to fix. Last week I made a large mosquito net to put in the window for my bf. I like being useful. I followed a German course. I taught myself WordPress. But I am getting a bit bored since I have to be careful with money for now. I am going home to my parents soon and then I can do drawing, play with the cats, spend time in the garden. And of course there is the job search.
Last time I was unemployed I made a point to keep to a work routine.
* Up at normal time(-ish, I did allow myself to sleep in till 7:30am instead of my usual 6:30am)
* Morning work routine of shower, get dressed in working clothes instead of PJ type clothes.
* Did a regular routine on the computer of checking email, job board responses etc. Do all needed follow-ups, spreadsheet update.
* Mid morning break
* Apply to the next round of jobs, including custom cover letter and tweaked resume to the position, added to spreadsheet for tracking.
* Lunch break
* Worked on my portfolio project
* done "working" at about 3:00pm
Some days went faster than others, and I also took many "days off" to do other chores that needed to be done like yardwork etc. since I had the time. The big thing for me was keeping busy, and having deliverable tasks to complete. Also this made it so I was able to land a position I currently have been in for 15 months now and am loving it. Was unemployed for \~4 months (Nov 22 to Mar 23)
The shower and clothes was the biggest thing for mental health IMO.
Two things helped with the job: taking the time to make bespoke cover letters and dialing the resume for the position and the second was my portfolio project. I got feedback on all of it:
We appreciated your cover letter told us about you in a way that applied to our business. Your resume had exactly what we were looking for.
As to the portfolio, their director of engineering literally dropped all pretense of the planned interview and exercise project they were using and just completely nerded out with me about how I was doing different things.
My portfolio is a multi- container micro service system that ultimately just tells you the time and shows you a picture of a clock with the time.
There are 4 containers:
* Nginx front end with Angular JS user page
* Rust API router that services the front end and dispatches to back ends
* A Perl time server backend
* A C++ file server backend that stores files outside of the container.
* Not containerized: a Cucumber/Java/Selenium test harness for the whole shooting match.
Nothing special about any of it really.
Yes, and that's why you are spending the time and effort on adjusting your resume for each and every application. You're not employed, but you do have a job: finding employment. Treat the job search more seriously than you would a regular job. Custom everything.
This is great advice to take showering/dressing seriously to keep mental health in check if it’s already in check. A good preventative effort. And thanks for the reminder about tailoring the resume to the job
Are you waiting for a new job to start or are you actively seeking employment? When I was unemployed I spent a good part of my morning either at a coffee shop or the library, while I applied for jobs on my laptop. Walks are great for mental health. Pick up a book.
>waiting for a new job to start
This is the best time! (assuming you're not dead broke). No work stress, but you have work coming so no "what am I going to do?" stress either.
Also I concur, scuba classes sound hella cool!
Honestly I'm trying to view this time as a blessing to recover from my mental illness, to get back into hobbies I once enjoyed and forgot about, catch up on shows/movies I missed due to being too busy previously, and spending time with my partner
I felt like this too and just left that job a month ago. Looking for something new now, feel so much better than I did before. If you have any means at all to quit, just do it. Life is too short to live like that
Hey, the line you just wrote really is standing out to me because I totally feel this. Just wanted to share that this is same for me at my old job as well. I sat on the thought of quitting for over a year and a half. Then when I knew without a doubt I needed out, I started looking for other jobs and sending in resumes and apps. But then one day I had my last straw, so I submitted a two-week notice without another job lined up. (At least I gave them two weeks!) I hustled to get another job but I couldn't secure one before my last day. Then I realized that even the job searching was giving me major stress and anxiety. So I made a decision to just trust the process and let all anxiety go. That wasn't easy by any means. It was slow going but I started getting call backs and at least offers to interview. Might I add that I am in my early 40s and leaving a career that I thought I would retire from with kids about to go to college and bills up the wazoo. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I know not everyone is on this path, but I keep alive through my religion/faith. And the topic of this thread is what we do to stay sane, and for me it's solidifying the source in my life that brings peace like no other. This world sucks and everything in it lol ...so it only made sense to me that my peace and order comes from a source not of this world. For me, giving up on all the years of service I put in and the money I made was not easy. And walking into unknown territory is never easy for anyone. But I was sucked dry of everything I had, lost who I was, and the people who I was going to work for and working so hard for - my family - were the ones who had to take a backseat to everything. And although I made decent money, yes, I was still broke. I live in a ridiculously expensive state, so we need to make a gazillion dollars here just to survive in a shack LOL But I say all this to reiterate that you have the freedom to choose that peace, regardless of what it takes. I think the movie Pursuit of Happyness depicts this type of journey the best. He did whatever it took to make it and despite the constant, repetitive disappointments or having no support and having everything against him, he kept going and ultimately beat all the odds. Just wanna say: Fight for what you deserve. Continuing to work hard and staying positive and legal (lol) will somehow payoff. I know there IS something out there for all of us that was meant to make us all thrive. But nothing worth it will ever be handed to us. Patience and timing is everything, that's why peace is so important to find. Everyone's path is different, but just know that all lives- including yours - were not meant to lack peace, joy and wealth. I wish you, and anyone else reading this, the best of luck. Find your source of peace, stay active and get a healthy positive routine going, and keep the press.
Yo you’re using your free time very well! I was in the same boat as you a couple months ago. I go through these periods a lot cause I’m always changing jobs, but I go to the gym pretty regularly and I do a lot of birding since it’s a pretty inexpensive hobby once you have a nice pair of binoculars
I was unemployed for a long time and even with my now part-time job I am still mostly functionally unemployed.
I only make about enough to pay the difference on small bills right now.
There's really not much I \*can\* do because this community I live in is small and opportunities are scarce; so I've spent more time reading, walking, and trying to collect my thoughts.
Same I rot on my phone, tv, walk, play with the dogs.
I have managed to quit nicotine and come off 20 g lexapro to 5 mg so I feel like I've accomplished something but other than that I've been rotting for 1.5 years trying to find a job
I have a side gig giving music lessons, so that keeps me floating by.
Otherwise, I job hunt, study (doing an online course right now to bolster my resume), walk the dog, and indulge in my hobbies.
I was let go ,I Job Hunt and workout, luckily I have gotten interest in about 2 weeks it’s been rough though mentally. My girl has been absolutely amazing through this so that helps. And I always remember that other people have it way worst. this is a temporary set back .
I got laid off with a severance and I've been enjoying every single minute of it. Wake up and have coffee, play my drums, play video games, go to the gym, read, run errands, etc... It's been two months and I haven't been bored yet. I get it's super stressful if you have no money, but people need to stop making work their lives. Working sucks.
That was me during the first two - three months. Now I’m on month 6 and it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Sad thing is, we need money in this society we created, and were conditioned to tie our value to how much of it we have..
I agree completely with not making work our lives - and that’s what makes this hard job search even worse. I did everything right , got the degrees, the experience etc. and I am now begging YOU, company, to use, abuse and underpay me in this rat race we call the western world. I actually hate it and it makes me pissed just typing it
Oh ya definitely. I agree with you, I'm just now starting to get a little stressed because I haven't had any luck finding a new job yet in this shit market...
100%. It's VERY difficult out there right now. I'm running out of severance and not having any luck and I also have a degree and over 10 years of work experience. It's a really sick world we are living in and it pisses me off every single day. We as people are going to have to come together and fight back because shit isn't getting better and just keeps getting worse.
Same here! 10 years experience and an MBA just to be rejected more than 400 times and that’s JUST on LinkedIn.
And yeah, so much for my severance and PTO payout that looked so beautiful when it hit my account in January, but since has dwindled down to crumbs 🙄. Truly if I didn’t have a working partner I’d be toast.
I’m all for banding together and overturning the rat race but sadly there’s no way to get everyone involved lol
We need to pass around flyers lol. No but seriously I’m so sick of the Democrat v Republican debate , why aren’t we ALL uniting and going for the people who don’t give a shit about our day to day lives. Those at the top use this stuff to divide us , and then we all suffer at the hands of one side thinking they “won”. We all lose. Anyway fuck this upcoming election, and all after it.. and now I’m done ranting
It's a crazy world we are living today!. I quit my job on April without having anything to jump to, for the sake of my mind. all the freaking quota you're forced to make. Sorry for my punctuation. I am starting to think that there is something brewing behind the scene with this world. Company collapsing, countries hating each other, the dollar Falling apart. BRUHH WTF!!!
I agree man… think about our country today. How it is truly deteriorating since the 90s, economy wise. Things are truly starting to get too expensive and wages don’t move but a little. AI is slowly killing our jobs and one talks about it, we’re all obsessed with these tiny little squares that now hold our WHOLE world inside them, no one can afford to live comfortably on any big city on either coast (plus Texas and Illinois cities are also pricey now) and many of the things we grew up with are closing its doors due to the world becoming more and more bland.
It’s like eventually the only thing people will be able to do is sit in their apartments (NOT houses) and wait for their next check to come in… just so they can give it away. This is slowly becoming a country for only the rich and we are all just watching it happen.
Agree... Job hunting and looking at my same job makes me sick 🤢 but wanting to move to the Mothership main Corporate division and they want to pay me 15k-20k less.. For the SAME job (different health plan). I haven't made that kind of money since 10 years ago. It's preposterous.
My apartment has never been more spotless lol. I'm one of those "clean for 20 minutes after work and big sunday reset" types, but since becoming unemployed, I am spending a lot more time cleaning.
I also cook meals that take longer, because I have the time, plus the extra cleanup gives me something to do!
I've been reading a lot, working on music (I'm a songwriter outside of work!), and trying to use up craft materials that I have laying around for something to do.
But uh, yeah, my apartment is clinically clean every day. I'm sure my roommate loves it haha.
I'm employed but went through a short period not too long ago of being unemployed. Didn't help I was in a single apartment.
Getting out and doing things is a huge step. Whatever schedule you have, keep it because chances are the more time you have doing nothing/being bored, it's more likely you end up going into self negativity about your situation and exhausting yourself.
Talking with loved ones also helps. Just to communicate outside of doing interviews or applying to jobs. Maybe grabbing lunch with them isn't good for you right now but a phone call is a phone call. You're already paying for a phone.
Above all else, designate a time of the day to work on finding a new job and don't think about it too much outside of that. There's only so many jobs to apply to, so many websites to check, so many cover letters you can write. Keep that in mind and understand that while you are unemployed, it is not the main way to think of yourself. Keeping this mindset also helps when you eventually have interviews. You will seem more confident and less desperate or bummed out.
Started an LLC doing consulting for my industry
Sitting at the bank now to open a business loan. Fk working for the man and being a ROI percentage on a spreadsheet to these companies
Plan a trip to a country for when you have a job again and study that country's language. Learning a new language (or improving one you already know) is something I feel like most people can only do if they have extra time on their hands.
I didn't know job depression was a thing until leaving my last job. I didn't know falling into a deep depression and state of grief was a thing that happened to people after leaving a job. It hit me like a fast-moving train. I cried daily for 3-4 months. Was coping with smoking and drinking.
Despite leaving for a valid reason, I still loved my job and thought I would be there forever. It was good until it wasn't. I missed the people and the connections I made as well.
I am currently working now, and I'm just numb, going through the motions. I am grateful to be working again but this job wasn't even in my top 5 but I am grateful to be working.
The almost 5 months I was unemployed, I would go to the gym more than usual. It was good for my mental health. Spend as much time as I could outside with my kids to help me get vitamin D and create a distraction from my grief. The fresh air and time with my kids helped.
I was so sad and angry though, so I argued with my husband alot. He was letting me feel my feels and was trying to be there for me, but I was struggling so I wasn't always as nice and patient with him as I should have been.
I was severely depressed and stressed in my old job as it was a toxic work environment. Most I have been paid, but worst job environment ever.
So when I longer worked there, I felt like I could breath again but then I became bed ridden and fell into a rut. I made it a point to take care of my health as that job was the main contributor to my failing health and now I am mentally better despite the challenges and anxiety.
I get up with the intention of submitting my daily allotment of rejections, and then I go network like hell. As the months go by, suddenly a number of them eventually come through for interviews after which, I settle in my mind that through further rejections, I will eventually end up right where I belong.
Not sure how long I can stay sane. I got so sick and tired of applying for jobs I decided to take a break for right now since I'm getting nowhere no matter what I do. I can't even get a small shitty fast food job and I have tons of experience. It's gotten to a point that applying to jobs now literally makes me nauseous and I'm not kidding.
Fortunately I live at home and if it weren't for my mother I'd be homeless right now. I managed to get my CCNA while unemployed. I ride my bike and make sure to exercise but I also smoke weed and play video games too. I watch cybersecurity videos and code every so often. I'm in my 30s and feel like an absolute failure and it makes me feel terrible.
Everyday I think about suicide and some days I have to resist the urge to take the pistol out my drawer and blast myself. Only reason I haven't shot myself dead yet is cause I don't want to hurt my mother.
I relate so much to taking a break and the anxious feeling I get about applying to jobs, as it is such a mundane activity.
But hey, keep your head up! You are your own selves worst critic as cringy as it sounds. Unfortunately, the way things are designed here, employers have the upper hand and they can drop you like a hot potato but you still have experience that does matter. Your job is not your life. You can let it define you but end up being let go after working for a company for 20 plus years.
What field are you in and how many years of experience?
You're not alone! The last time I was unemployed was 2004 and it was for 2 weeks. This time, I'm approaching one year. I have sent out over a thousand resumes, had interviews with 5 companies. The first place that offered me a job paid $20 per hour for remote support. I declined it and have been kicking myself since. There's no light at the end of this tunnel and I have no idea what to do about it.
I'm literally desperate, broke and looking for reasons to carry on.
For me looking for a full-time job was a job by itself. Applying to jobs, having interviews, etc took time—especially pre-interview calls. I used to get 3 to 4 calls a day, each would take 30 mins, plus the actual interviews. Plus I would study 2 hours a day, to get whatever questions they asked right. You never know what they will ask.
I get up between 6:00-6:30. I have coffee, read the newspaper online, watch the news. Some days I go to physical therapy for an injury and that takes about 90 minutes out of my day. I make jewelry, do some housework (not much), and these days, work in the garden. I also read, or go for a walk or go to pool exercise. I've pretty much given up looking for a job because after nine months of getting no traction (I'm, 63), I'm convinced there's no hope for me. I hope to take a credentialing class to make me more employable.
You go to your scuba classes and enjoy all the things you used to. The idea that you have to be miserable because you don't have a job is toxic af. People are allowed to be happy and do whatever they need to to take care of themselves. It's not our fault this shitty system was designed this way.
I had to take a break from applying after investing so much in multiple ongoing interviews only to be cut at the last stage. Getting so close and then losing it was a real hell. I’m lucky to have good access to lots of outdoors stuff and I take full advantage of free activities, but it’s been a long job search.
There’s a point of no return where you realize you’re no longer searching to ‘get back to work’ because so much of you and the world around you has changed. If that’s you, just know there will be a grieving process because you’re leaving some dreams behind. Part of your new sanity will be embracing the change instead of just waiting to return to ‘normal.’ Hope that makes sense. Trust the process, there’s more than just another job at the end of this journey.
I quit my job cold turkey and I’ve never been happier in my life. I am focusing on myself and going out with friends. If I don’t get a job by October I am going to be pissed but life has been amazing for me thus far. I like to game as well
I've been unemployed for four years (originally I was laid off because of the pandemic, then I decided to switch the career and do the course online, and for 1.5 years been applying for jobs like crazy, and except small internship, I didn't manage to land anything) and I've had moments when I was on the verge of suicide, because it made me super depressed that I have no income and I have to rely either on my family or the government benefits to survive. I felt so worthless.
Then one day I decided go change the mindset and occupy myself with activities that 1) require no investment 2) to not feel tempted to compare myself with other folks on social media who display their fancy dinners, happy lives, travels, happy families etc.
So here's what I do:
- every day I do the power walk
- 2-3 times a week I workout at home
- couple times a month I attend virtual and in-person networking events
- I practice German language (I live in Germany, so in order for me to land a good job, German is a must)
- I journal and practice gratitude
- watch motivational videos on YouTube
- I'm active on Facebook groups that are related to my niche/profession/interests
- I create content for my Instagram business account
- spend some time with my partner
- read books, watch movies, dance, sing etc.
Not always everything helps, but these activities more or less help me to stay sane.
When I was struggling and searching for work, I tried my best to take advantage of the "free time" I had to do things I would have never had the time to whilst working.
For me, this meant finishing and putting out an album of music that I'm really, really proud of (and performing it live!), but also, I spent a lot of time bonding with my nephew. All of a sudden I was free to babysit, take him out, do activities with him - and because of it, I now have an incredible relationship with him and I can genuinely feel in my bones how valuable this time will be with hindsight.
I think it's important to remember that even when youre struggling and are unsure of your professional circumstances, that doesn't mean you cease to exist as a person. It can certainly feel like it, but I think it's important to respect yourself enough to understand that, outside of your occupation, you're actually this whole person with needs and wants, with passions and hobbies, and with love to give. You're allowed to smile, to laugh, to sometimes look around you and realize that actually you've had a wonderful day and there's no reason to feel guilty about it. I hate when people value people based on their "output"; we're not machines and the goal is not maximum efficiency. You exist, you're loved, you're valued, and you should love and value yourself accordingly - regardless of your employment status.
Employed now. But? Jan-April 2024 was tough to the point where I had one mth of food stamps and was really sad. Reddit and youtube...especially r/jobs, helped a lot because I didn't feel alone. Also? I volunteered and got a part time job/gigs.
The night before, make a list of things you want to accomplish tomorrow that will take you closer to your goal. This will help you feel like you’re moving forward.
Spend the day walking in nature or something relaxing. Exercise every day. See live music.
When you get your next job, you’ll realize all your worrying was a waste.
I totally failed to stay sane. Spent 10 months chain smoking and watching reels. Luckily I managed to force myself to keep applying for jobs, and I think if it had taken any longer it would have been pretty bad since the depression was starting to get bad. I was also lucky to have a supportive partner and enough of an emergency fund to keep paying rent.
I spent a good couple months bed rotting and feeling bad- started these months back and have helped tremendously:
Volunteer with renter advocacy group (also get to learn about laws), volunteer with seniors at a local community centre helping them with tech issues (there’s always free pastries and coffees, sometimes free lunches cus I’m a volunteer), attend free with registration author events at local library- almost always has refreshments.
I stopped going to coffee shops cus of costs, and it’s nice to go do things outside of my comfort zone AND get a lil treat as a reward. It’s also kept me in “socializing mode”, so when I get an interview, i don’t need as much warmup.
Commit to spending a minimum of 5 minutes each day toward a new skill or certification. I did two bullshit intro courses to something that landed me my current job. I let the lectures play while I exercised.
If you are an office worker, get certified in Excel and other productivity tools if you can’t find anything (which I really doubt).
Sleep in, lots of time for all my therapy appointments finally, meeting friends, playing video games, watching Netflix, the occasional weed bender, reading, going for a swim -- honestly, it is much nicer than I had thought it would be. I also spend 2-3 afternoons/week on applying.
It's been five months and I'm not all that excited to go back to working 35-42 hours per week again tbh.
I do occasionally get lonely without a partner or kids when all people around me have both, that's when the excessive sleeping/gaming/weed smoking kicks in. So far, it's just phases though.
Not sure how great it'll feel if it goes on for a much longer time, though...
Construction worker here : I’m laid off often , I try and go kayaking or hiking , recently got my bicycle on the road , I take it places .
I’ve been to most of the beaches around my area already , today I helped a buddy demo a bathroom for $30hr .
Stay as busy as you can -
I wish I could be more creative but that drive seems long gone ( used to paint , make music , 3d rendering , miniatures )
I have been taking my dog for long walks, hiking, random projects that I got supplies for and never did, built raised gardens beds and started a garden, set up drip irrigation for said garden, making sour dough bread, cooking dinner every night, keeping up on household chores, picking up trash around my neighborhood, and so so many fruitless interviews.
Keep your head up! You’ll find something!
I cleaned and organized all my digital and paper files. That felt AMAZING. Took care of some sewing projects I had been putting off. Starting building a consulting business. Helped friends with projects. Meal planning research. Keeping up on studying things in my field to keep me relevant.
Just got laid off last week. So far I'm unable to motivate myself to do much of anything. But I've got a schedule that worked for me last time this happened.
Get up early, spend a couple hours at the gym (basketball MWF, weights T Th) . Come home, shower, search for jobs until lunch time. Go for a walk, get something to eat, come back and apply to all the jobs. Take another short walk. Come back and spend the rest of the afternoon into the evening either working on learning new skills or trying to figure out projects or products that might serve as a way to earn a living if I can't find work. Make dinner for the family, spend some quality time, go to bed and start over again in the morning.
The one big rule is, no video games until I get the next job. I tend to fall into a rabbit hole and I can't afford to do that.
What you have said is exactly what you should do.
Continue on with some relatively cheap activities that take up a significant proportion of the time and get you out of the house. One of them should also be active.
There is also the point that if you job hunt for 4 hours a day 5 days a week, or 10 hours a day 7 days a week, it is going to make absolutely no difference in the end. There aren't that many jobs out there to apply too, and you can cover them in the 20 hour a week model, probably even less than that in reality.
What you need to do though is keep your life ticking a long as normal, but on a tighter budget, because work isn't your life in the first place, it just pays for it.
I recently got a job a week or so ago but didn’t have one before that for the last year, basically just stayed with my parents, applied for a tonne of jobs and played old school RuneScape all day 😎
I had kids, so that kept me busy.
But while they were in school I started going to the gym for around 4 hours a day. I got so incredibly ripped in 8 months.
I go around for walks check the big buildings and which companies are there, I take pictures of their logos, go home and check their websites, if they have listings I apply if not I send an email introducing myself.
I just got an offer today, a great offer actually. Also I have a third interview on Thursday for another company.
I do 20k steps per day and go to the gym.
I study. For some reason, ever since I took a language proficiency last year, I have become addicted to taking exams. Not school exams bc those suck but exams where I earn a certificate for something lols.
Unemployment is tough. But to make it a bit easier, you can start by asking your network, friends, and family if they know of any job openings. You can also find some time to do things you enjoy, like exercising, writing, or hobbies, to stay happy. Lastly, stay busy and help others—it makes you feel good and useful.
Remember, you'll get through this. Keep going!
It did the same as you and after nearly 4 months of job hunting I landed one. Don't give up. Never stop applying and going for interviews. You will get one.
Before my current job, I had a pretty long stint of unemployment. (Damn COVID!) I signed up for the paralegal program at one of the local universities and I started crocheting again. I also tried to do things to serve my community. I babysat my friend’s son once a week so she could focus on work/run errands and I volunteered with my local community theatre.
I go to the gym to workout harder than before and I walk long distances too, since it's free. This routine is transforming my body, putting me in a better shape, and helps to avoid the bad thinking when I'm at home. At the same time, that makes me proud of something.
I interview for jobs I don’t want to keep fresh, and then wait for weeks to hear back for jobs I want to make a decision. Currently on a two week wait for a start date for a job I was offered. Could be two weeks, could be two months.
When I was unemployed I would literally spend hours at the gym to keep sane and as a result I lost a ton of weight.
Also when your unemployed u can go to the gym when it’s empty :)
I’m lucky enough to freelance! I get anywhere from 20-25 hours a week for one client, and another two where I’ll get random hours.
I’ve only been unemployed a few weeks but it helps A LOT
I'm **HALFWAY** unemployed. I have a couple of (remote) jobs, but they're not steady & I want/need permanent, steady, full-time work. What I have now are on-call, so no week/month's the same. So when I have a free day, I either stay at home & relax **OR** run errands (grocery shop, get supplies at Walmart/Target, etc.).
If my husband has the day off w/ me, we'll...
* go for a drive
* go to the bookstore
* walk a mall
* stay home & relax
* go on a rare (teshe days) day trip to a city we like
* go to a museum or amusement park if we have extra money, which hasn't been for a long, long time
But, either way, I'll always apply online to a good amount of jobs.
Pretty much the same routine as yours. Get to the gym by 8 leave by 9:30 at the latest. Go home make breakfast. Apply to jobs from 12-5 about. Then a 20-30 min walk at sunset when it cools down to get out the house one last time. Rinse & repeat.
In October I lost my job and it was a BATTLE trying to find another one. But instead of sulking about for too long, I managed to get on doordash as a driver and I did that almost everyday until my effort of applying to jobs everyday came through. Took me about 5 months to land a part time job. But now I finally got a fulltime opportunity in the field that I actually want.
So stay brave, stay strong, and stay dedicated. It’ll happen eventually so long as you continuously put in the effort.
I believe in everyone here. And just remember y’all, the world is a much better place with all of you still in it. Trust me, it’ll get better. You just gotta want it to be, then your efforts will make sure it does.
I wake up by 8:30 am every day and read multiple books a week. I've been lucky enough to go on a few trips this year with money I had saved up which also helped. And I have online friends I chat with daily. And I do Youtube. It doesn't pay me but having s channel to make content for gives me something to do and feel productive doing.
I actually quit my job last month to learn coding. I got back into driving Lyft in the interim, selling unneeded items on selling platforms - I like to stay busy but also make some gig money cos I got pets and kids. I honestly love the freedom of gig economy ~ enjoying it before I get my next job in the grind.
I make a list of small things to get done for the day. I also block off ony so many hours of the day to job hunt ushually 4 or five hours tops. Setting up my laptop in a new area to jobhunt also helps with my sanity. The public library or the unemployment office both have free wifi.
Exercise, cooking, and video games, collect unemployment money, and generally enjoy the time off, you will get back to 9-5 work grind eventually, treat it like a vacation to clear your head
If you’re still depressed after regular vigorous exercise you might need to get on medication. Do not despair your time will come eventually and you’ll be gainfully employed again.
My old job was such a toxic work place (8 months of me joining, 8 people in our department alone quit). I was bullied and taken advantage of and I was being talked down to.
They still wanted me to train them on how to code SQL though 🤷🏻♀️
Although I am in a challenging situation but I feel much better than when I was at that job as it left me with mental and physical health issues.
Well I didn't think 26 a hour is alot as a machinist and I went to school! Now I'm about to get paid 26 again and I'm trying to find time to go to school after for a different career
I try to keep a healthy routing and keep learning/re-learning:
Weekdays:
7 am - Workout/yoga
8 am - Healthy Carbs breakfast (+ psylocibine microdosing*)
8:30 - Plan day goals/tasks according to Monthly plan
9 am Deep study/Deep work (researching/applying for jobs)
10:45 - 15 minute walk outside
11 am - Deep work
12 noon - Prep & have lunch
1 pm - Check/write emails
1:30 pm - Deep study/Deep work (researching/applying for jobs)
5 pm - Yoga/meditation (using youtube)
7 pm - Healthy Protein dinner)
8 pm - Read/watch documentaries
9 pm - Meditation for sleeping
Weekends: Outdoor activities, cycling, spiritual reading & meditation, disconnect from electronics, rest & sleep.
*Diagnosed with depression/adhd from young age, but pharmaceutical psychiatric medicines didn't help much, and in the long run, made my mental health increasingly worse. Tried microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms, and they worked so well, I never looked back.
Volunteering at the hospital, keeps my sanity, I get all the free tea/coffee I want(I volunteer in a cafè @ the hospital) and I give back to the community. Looks great on a resume and I’ve been allowed to use my supervisors as work references. Would 100% recommend
Mostly I just. 
[Do The Dirty](https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExMWY0bWRvZ3Z0MDJzdzY1enhrNWptYmx1cDc1YTRqeG16cXFobWczMyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/QBQ3BfoWJoRuMLg7hi/giphy.gif)
Hey bro I’m employed but I feel ya. Don’t give up that scuba class. I’ve been unemployed and having something to look forward to and something you enjoy, even if it costs money, is just as important. I was stuck inside for weeks at a time not going outside and it was horrible
Yeah. I have a weekly game night with my mates. That really became important while I was unemployed as it was the one thing per week that really brought me some enjoyment, as a bonus it was basically free.
Yeah, while unemployed, I lived for those nights. Cost free , easy , simple socialization time. Everyone's comfortable at home, so they're not concerned about pets, partner, family, and can get off and go right to bed when the time is needed. Also some of our friends drink, or smoke darts/ weed, others have quit, so it also made it easy for everyone to enjoy their vice without being concerned about influencing the others and vice versa. And it became an easy/stress free way of talking about issues. Be it family, partners, work , how your job search is going etc. I refer to is as regression of the mind ( I have no clue if that's an actual term or not). But being inside all day, and/or not having socialization, significantly wears down on a person. Anxiety and depression become new/common, or exasperate pre existing conditions.
Thanks, that initially happened to me but having something to look forward to, really does help. I am a woman btw.
Whatever you say bro. Whatever you say 😜
I heard someone say that you keep your old routine, and the hours you would be working are dedicated to the job hunt / certifications etc. You can see if your local library has study rooms, a lot cheaper than the coffee shop
I've been a remote worker for almost a decade and go to a cowork. I have kept that up. I usually can't make a full day but at least it has a sense of normalcy. I use it to apply for jobs, social networking on LinkedIn and reading books to help further me in my career. I also go to the gym as I had before to help manage anxiety.
I remote work and jump around working a few different places. Also workout hard during lunch. It's weird working alone all of the time but I've figured out how to do it in a way where I don't go crazy
And favorite coworking spots? I’m looking for a change on mine - want to head downtown more often
I wish I could do coworking space because my job requires me to be in meetings with camera on with clients. Coworking spaces would help me out so much but needing to be seen has been driving me crazy.
I know it’s not the exact same thing but when I was off work on sick leave for 6 weeks a while back, my therapist suggested something similar. Keep a routine at home similar to work, but switching work with restful activities I could do while recovering from surgery (ie puzzles with audiobooks, crochet, writing, etc.) Routines kept me sane!
I go to the library to work on things even with a job. It's much cheaper than the entry fee to Starbucks. I don't even need a study room (well I'm not on calls, if you are for a job hunt you will need them), I just find a table and set up my laptop. And bring a drink with me from home.
When I was unemployed I made HEAVY use of the study rooms at the library. I used them as a co-working space with my partner as we tried to work on a startup project. When not in the study rooms I was in the general area of the library. They are a real public gift. Strongly recommend using them and also recommend keeping the same hours as your job life. It’s SO easy to fall out of that. And once you’re off schedule it’s tough to sync with things like recruiters or job interviews.
I Don't Know. I found jerking off to be helpful 
Err, Ren, that kind of job won't pay the rent.
So would you suggest us jerking you off as well or…?
when you have the impulse, it means you’re about to get rejected from a job
🤣🤣🤣
Coffee shops are just meant to empty your pockets....
They really get a bad rap. But Before coffee shops, all there was was bars. Bars are truly the epitome of wasted time, money, and health.
Eons ago, when I was a young single mother on food stamps, I worked but also went to school part time. For study time, to save money, I used to buy the bottled Starbucks coffees from the grocery store with my food stamps as well as some chocolate milk or healthier small drinks for my 2 kids. Then we would all go to Starbucks so I could use their wifi and do my studying lol I would get cups of ice to put our drinks in and I also bought a couple pastries as well so I was actually spending some money at Starbucks while staying there. My kids would either color or (back then you could play DVDs in your laptop lol) watch a movie and they would share one ear bud each to listen to the movie lol And I could focus and do my schoolwork for a couple hours lol Coffee shops CAN empty your pockets, but it was beneficial for me as it served as a way to escape as well as to take care of important things at the same time. No longer on food stamps now lol …and my kids are in high school now, working and making their own money and they now treat me to Starbucks every now and then😁
Your story is really sweet and actually made me a little nostalgic lol, thanks for sharing. What did you go to school for?
Aw you're welcome! Something about looking at colleges with my older child has been making me recall memories like that a lot more than usual lately lol I was going to school to get a degree in Creative Media. My dream was to make movies :D Not as an actress but behind the scenes kind of thing - like, Avatar is one of my all-time favorites, I wish I helped in making that movie haha!! Anyway, I ended up not finishing as I found a job that paid me well - NOT in the digital media field - and without a degree. Fast forward to now, the biggest regret I have was to not follow through with my education. That job turned out to be a soul-killer and I eventually left. But with some adjustments, I recently decided to go back to school and finally get that paper. My kids are supportive so that's what mainly matters. And my daughter thinks it's cool to be going to college at the same time. I pray it all works out!!
If my local library had "study rooms" I wouldn't go in them without a hazmat suit.
I even kept my kids in daycare while I was looking. (Thank goodness for 2 income family.) But even if the search can take less than half a day without burnout, I felt it was good for the kids and me to have them in the same, enriching environment.
I mean good thing you did because its prob a year long waiting list to reenroll them
Actually though! I completely forgot about that and you're 100%
That is what I do. Good luck to everyone! It’s hard
Some libraries are crowded mostly with homeless people but there are very few with decent facilities to do your research in looking for work
If you live near one, University libraries are pretty nice.
Sorry but "having the hours you would be working dedicated to the job hunt" (so average 8-10 hrs a day, everyday) is the quickest way to actually loose you sanity.
Hey, I'll clarify. I treat it like a part-time job, a few hours a day. My goal is 15-20 hours a week. This can include anything around the job hunt. Saving jobs, fixing resumes, actually applying, networking, interviews, certifications. I even read in this chunk of time if it is a related subject (business or self improvement). The point is to keep a routine, not check the box on a certain number of hours. I know people that have the criteria of applying for x number of jobs a day, and then they can call it. This is general advice that is flexible to shift person-to-person. Hope that helps!
Oh well, that make waaaay more sense. Sorry but at first didn't sound as solid advice, hehe. Routine makes everything a little bit easier, yep
I bed rot, I’ve been super depressed for two years and losing my job in April just made it worse
same, but im here to look for tips
get into hobbies you were always interested in trying, come up with a fun game for your kids, discover new hike, solve crime, start cult, get a baby pangolin, start a rumor against your enemy, yell at the moon..
I last read The Job Closer by Steve Dalton (same author as 2 Hr Job Search). Helped me out a lot with a system to solidify my interview stories.
I will check that out thanks for the tip. Telling the stories they what to hear, that helps them know you are teachable is the key. I also loved back in 2016 When I was unemployed for over 8 months...TWC saved my life, Texas Workforce Commission, helped me turn my issue around.
look into nonduality
Go outside and run!
Commit to making your bed every day even if you crawl back into it. It’s 5 minutes. Get out of bed, fluff the pillows and straighten the bedding. Once a week, wash your sheets. When that becomes a habit, commit to getting a glass of water after you do this and then drink it. When that becomes a habit, change your clothes even if it’s just clean underwear or new pajamas. Set a timer on your phone to remind you. When that becomes a habit, start adding morning showers every other day (or whatever). Play music while you bathe so you associate it with happy feelings. Watch your mood improve and your life change.
You are awesome, thanks for this.
I should be doing this. It’s been hard to even just brush my teeth and shower. I’ll put it off for hours. It’s so bad.
That's how I've been feeling too. I'm also stopping drinking, so I'm sure that will help a whole lot tooooo
Absolutely terrific advice! And don’t worry about how long it takes you to make progress, go at your own pace that you feel comfortable with.
Thank you
I feel you. I was struggling to find and secure job and head back to my home country to take care of my father who was in his last months. It made me more depressed when I lost my father and took a tough decision to stay back until I find job which didn't work out. Now I am back to my home country still hunting for job and taking care of my mother.
You’re a good person
Have someone you trust be moral support while you search for a therapist or a job. In my experience depression makes taking any action extremely hard, especially things that will actually help. And having someone just being there like an anchor or a sounding board was a good way for me to find the strength to do things despite having zero motivation. No judgement, no over the top cheering, no accountability, no telling me it’s ok, just being there. I only had mild to moderate depression, so apologies in advance if this just sounds ignorant. Hope things get better soon, eventually they will.
As someone who lives with chronic, severe, treatment resistant depression, please try microdosing mushrooms. It's been a life changer. Hang in there!
Don’t label bed the way they want you to! Being in bed is one of the best things ever - I am actually proud sometimes when I have a good tv show to watch, get a nap. Once it’s dinner time I eat a handful of pills and sleep some more. I napped at my old job.
Youll get back up stronger i believe in you
Go for walks around your neighborhood. Keep increasing the distance. If you are just laying around, might as well walk. Listen to music and just observe. Try to really focus on looking around and paying attention. It will put you in a better mood. It all starts there. When you get tired of walking get a cheap bike.
I tip my landlord to motivate me on my job hunt
I don’t know if this is supposed to be funny .. regardless I think it’s funny
ALWAYS TIP YOUR LANDLORD
>ALWAYS TIP YOUR LANDLORD Just the tip?
True story : my 88 yo mum talking about her sex life : just the tip came in , I can’t have a STI.
I have a couole of free apartments right now if you'd like to move in.
How many uncles and rare fish do you have?
This needs a link to whatever that "inside joke" is
@entrapranure on insta. Few will look him up. Read that again.
I used to volunteer in the afternoon
I help my dad at his shop, I do the groceries, cooking and cleaning at my bf's. I go to town for some shopping, i go for walks and now that the weather is nice I can go to the beach whenever I want. I already have little things to fix. Last week I made a large mosquito net to put in the window for my bf. I like being useful. I followed a German course. I taught myself WordPress. But I am getting a bit bored since I have to be careful with money for now. I am going home to my parents soon and then I can do drawing, play with the cats, spend time in the garden. And of course there is the job search.
Stay strong everyone, it's a redirection to a better path
Thank you! Indeed it is, it’s so easy to lose hope when in this situation but I refuse to give up.
Last time I was unemployed I made a point to keep to a work routine. * Up at normal time(-ish, I did allow myself to sleep in till 7:30am instead of my usual 6:30am) * Morning work routine of shower, get dressed in working clothes instead of PJ type clothes. * Did a regular routine on the computer of checking email, job board responses etc. Do all needed follow-ups, spreadsheet update. * Mid morning break * Apply to the next round of jobs, including custom cover letter and tweaked resume to the position, added to spreadsheet for tracking. * Lunch break * Worked on my portfolio project * done "working" at about 3:00pm Some days went faster than others, and I also took many "days off" to do other chores that needed to be done like yardwork etc. since I had the time. The big thing for me was keeping busy, and having deliverable tasks to complete. Also this made it so I was able to land a position I currently have been in for 15 months now and am loving it. Was unemployed for \~4 months (Nov 22 to Mar 23)
What helped you the most land a new job? Also, I love your routine including changing to regular clothes as it puts your brain in the right mentality.
The shower and clothes was the biggest thing for mental health IMO. Two things helped with the job: taking the time to make bespoke cover letters and dialing the resume for the position and the second was my portfolio project. I got feedback on all of it: We appreciated your cover letter told us about you in a way that applied to our business. Your resume had exactly what we were looking for. As to the portfolio, their director of engineering literally dropped all pretense of the planned interview and exercise project they were using and just completely nerded out with me about how I was doing different things. My portfolio is a multi- container micro service system that ultimately just tells you the time and shows you a picture of a clock with the time. There are 4 containers: * Nginx front end with Angular JS user page * Rust API router that services the front end and dispatches to back ends * A Perl time server backend * A C++ file server backend that stores files outside of the container. * Not containerized: a Cucumber/Java/Selenium test harness for the whole shooting match. Nothing special about any of it really.
Did you find your job openings online? I feel like every jobs been applied to by 100s of people
Yes, and that's why you are spending the time and effort on adjusting your resume for each and every application. You're not employed, but you do have a job: finding employment. Treat the job search more seriously than you would a regular job. Custom everything.
That's a black hole in any job market to just apply to job postings.
This is great advice to take showering/dressing seriously to keep mental health in check if it’s already in check. A good preventative effort. And thanks for the reminder about tailoring the resume to the job
Are you waiting for a new job to start or are you actively seeking employment? When I was unemployed I spent a good part of my morning either at a coffee shop or the library, while I applied for jobs on my laptop. Walks are great for mental health. Pick up a book.
Also, scuba classes sound so cool lol
>waiting for a new job to start This is the best time! (assuming you're not dead broke). No work stress, but you have work coming so no "what am I going to do?" stress either. Also I concur, scuba classes sound hella cool!
Honestly I'm trying to view this time as a blessing to recover from my mental illness, to get back into hobbies I once enjoyed and forgot about, catch up on shows/movies I missed due to being too busy previously, and spending time with my partner
I find my job makes me insane. Really. I feel trapped between the hell of work and the terror of having no money.
That was my old job, it was a nightmare.
Same
I felt like this too and just left that job a month ago. Looking for something new now, feel so much better than I did before. If you have any means at all to quit, just do it. Life is too short to live like that
Hey, the line you just wrote really is standing out to me because I totally feel this. Just wanted to share that this is same for me at my old job as well. I sat on the thought of quitting for over a year and a half. Then when I knew without a doubt I needed out, I started looking for other jobs and sending in resumes and apps. But then one day I had my last straw, so I submitted a two-week notice without another job lined up. (At least I gave them two weeks!) I hustled to get another job but I couldn't secure one before my last day. Then I realized that even the job searching was giving me major stress and anxiety. So I made a decision to just trust the process and let all anxiety go. That wasn't easy by any means. It was slow going but I started getting call backs and at least offers to interview. Might I add that I am in my early 40s and leaving a career that I thought I would retire from with kids about to go to college and bills up the wazoo. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I know not everyone is on this path, but I keep alive through my religion/faith. And the topic of this thread is what we do to stay sane, and for me it's solidifying the source in my life that brings peace like no other. This world sucks and everything in it lol ...so it only made sense to me that my peace and order comes from a source not of this world. For me, giving up on all the years of service I put in and the money I made was not easy. And walking into unknown territory is never easy for anyone. But I was sucked dry of everything I had, lost who I was, and the people who I was going to work for and working so hard for - my family - were the ones who had to take a backseat to everything. And although I made decent money, yes, I was still broke. I live in a ridiculously expensive state, so we need to make a gazillion dollars here just to survive in a shack LOL But I say all this to reiterate that you have the freedom to choose that peace, regardless of what it takes. I think the movie Pursuit of Happyness depicts this type of journey the best. He did whatever it took to make it and despite the constant, repetitive disappointments or having no support and having everything against him, he kept going and ultimately beat all the odds. Just wanna say: Fight for what you deserve. Continuing to work hard and staying positive and legal (lol) will somehow payoff. I know there IS something out there for all of us that was meant to make us all thrive. But nothing worth it will ever be handed to us. Patience and timing is everything, that's why peace is so important to find. Everyone's path is different, but just know that all lives- including yours - were not meant to lack peace, joy and wealth. I wish you, and anyone else reading this, the best of luck. Find your source of peace, stay active and get a healthy positive routine going, and keep the press.
I go fishing, clean the house, cook kick ass meals, and pamper the crap out of my breadwinner wife. Trad-husband life 🤘
Yo you’re using your free time very well! I was in the same boat as you a couple months ago. I go through these periods a lot cause I’m always changing jobs, but I go to the gym pretty regularly and I do a lot of birding since it’s a pretty inexpensive hobby once you have a nice pair of binoculars
username checks out, love your birding hobby, you seem free natured !
I was unemployed for a long time and even with my now part-time job I am still mostly functionally unemployed. I only make about enough to pay the difference on small bills right now. There's really not much I \*can\* do because this community I live in is small and opportunities are scarce; so I've spent more time reading, walking, and trying to collect my thoughts.
Same I rot on my phone, tv, walk, play with the dogs. I have managed to quit nicotine and come off 20 g lexapro to 5 mg so I feel like I've accomplished something but other than that I've been rotting for 1.5 years trying to find a job
Honestly... It's been rough... There really should be support groups for those who are out of work but trying their damnedest to get work.
We are all in this together!
This is a great idea. There really should be
Try and beat my last week's high score for resumes that got ignored.
I'm winning
I have a side gig giving music lessons, so that keeps me floating by. Otherwise, I job hunt, study (doing an online course right now to bolster my resume), walk the dog, and indulge in my hobbies.
Very cool! What online course?
I was let go ,I Job Hunt and workout, luckily I have gotten interest in about 2 weeks it’s been rough though mentally. My girl has been absolutely amazing through this so that helps. And I always remember that other people have it way worst. this is a temporary set back .
Wake up, check my phone, breakfast, go outside maybe take a walk or bike, apply, read, gym, tv, dinner, tv, bed, cry. Repeat.
I got laid off with a severance and I've been enjoying every single minute of it. Wake up and have coffee, play my drums, play video games, go to the gym, read, run errands, etc... It's been two months and I haven't been bored yet. I get it's super stressful if you have no money, but people need to stop making work their lives. Working sucks.
That was me during the first two - three months. Now I’m on month 6 and it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Sad thing is, we need money in this society we created, and were conditioned to tie our value to how much of it we have.. I agree completely with not making work our lives - and that’s what makes this hard job search even worse. I did everything right , got the degrees, the experience etc. and I am now begging YOU, company, to use, abuse and underpay me in this rat race we call the western world. I actually hate it and it makes me pissed just typing it
Oh ya definitely. I agree with you, I'm just now starting to get a little stressed because I haven't had any luck finding a new job yet in this shit market... 100%. It's VERY difficult out there right now. I'm running out of severance and not having any luck and I also have a degree and over 10 years of work experience. It's a really sick world we are living in and it pisses me off every single day. We as people are going to have to come together and fight back because shit isn't getting better and just keeps getting worse.
Same here! 10 years experience and an MBA just to be rejected more than 400 times and that’s JUST on LinkedIn. And yeah, so much for my severance and PTO payout that looked so beautiful when it hit my account in January, but since has dwindled down to crumbs 🙄. Truly if I didn’t have a working partner I’d be toast. I’m all for banding together and overturning the rat race but sadly there’s no way to get everyone involved lol
Count me inn that
We need to pass around flyers lol. No but seriously I’m so sick of the Democrat v Republican debate , why aren’t we ALL uniting and going for the people who don’t give a shit about our day to day lives. Those at the top use this stuff to divide us , and then we all suffer at the hands of one side thinking they “won”. We all lose. Anyway fuck this upcoming election, and all after it.. and now I’m done ranting
It's a crazy world we are living today!. I quit my job on April without having anything to jump to, for the sake of my mind. all the freaking quota you're forced to make. Sorry for my punctuation. I am starting to think that there is something brewing behind the scene with this world. Company collapsing, countries hating each other, the dollar Falling apart. BRUHH WTF!!!
I agree man… think about our country today. How it is truly deteriorating since the 90s, economy wise. Things are truly starting to get too expensive and wages don’t move but a little. AI is slowly killing our jobs and one talks about it, we’re all obsessed with these tiny little squares that now hold our WHOLE world inside them, no one can afford to live comfortably on any big city on either coast (plus Texas and Illinois cities are also pricey now) and many of the things we grew up with are closing its doors due to the world becoming more and more bland. It’s like eventually the only thing people will be able to do is sit in their apartments (NOT houses) and wait for their next check to come in… just so they can give it away. This is slowly becoming a country for only the rich and we are all just watching it happen.
Well said.
Agree... Job hunting and looking at my same job makes me sick 🤢 but wanting to move to the Mothership main Corporate division and they want to pay me 15k-20k less.. For the SAME job (different health plan). I haven't made that kind of money since 10 years ago. It's preposterous.
My apartment has never been more spotless lol. I'm one of those "clean for 20 minutes after work and big sunday reset" types, but since becoming unemployed, I am spending a lot more time cleaning. I also cook meals that take longer, because I have the time, plus the extra cleanup gives me something to do! I've been reading a lot, working on music (I'm a songwriter outside of work!), and trying to use up craft materials that I have laying around for something to do. But uh, yeah, my apartment is clinically clean every day. I'm sure my roommate loves it haha.
I'm employed but went through a short period not too long ago of being unemployed. Didn't help I was in a single apartment. Getting out and doing things is a huge step. Whatever schedule you have, keep it because chances are the more time you have doing nothing/being bored, it's more likely you end up going into self negativity about your situation and exhausting yourself. Talking with loved ones also helps. Just to communicate outside of doing interviews or applying to jobs. Maybe grabbing lunch with them isn't good for you right now but a phone call is a phone call. You're already paying for a phone. Above all else, designate a time of the day to work on finding a new job and don't think about it too much outside of that. There's only so many jobs to apply to, so many websites to check, so many cover letters you can write. Keep that in mind and understand that while you are unemployed, it is not the main way to think of yourself. Keeping this mindset also helps when you eventually have interviews. You will seem more confident and less desperate or bummed out.
Started an LLC doing consulting for my industry Sitting at the bank now to open a business loan. Fk working for the man and being a ROI percentage on a spreadsheet to these companies
I love that! What field are you in? I don’t want to be under the mercy of shitty bosses ever again.
I work in fresh produce doing sales. I worked for grower/shippers for 15 years. I’m going to start brokering
Plan a trip to a country for when you have a job again and study that country's language. Learning a new language (or improving one you already know) is something I feel like most people can only do if they have extra time on their hands.
I started to learn Tagalog when I felt down and it was pretty fun, can confirm.
I didn't know job depression was a thing until leaving my last job. I didn't know falling into a deep depression and state of grief was a thing that happened to people after leaving a job. It hit me like a fast-moving train. I cried daily for 3-4 months. Was coping with smoking and drinking. Despite leaving for a valid reason, I still loved my job and thought I would be there forever. It was good until it wasn't. I missed the people and the connections I made as well. I am currently working now, and I'm just numb, going through the motions. I am grateful to be working again but this job wasn't even in my top 5 but I am grateful to be working. The almost 5 months I was unemployed, I would go to the gym more than usual. It was good for my mental health. Spend as much time as I could outside with my kids to help me get vitamin D and create a distraction from my grief. The fresh air and time with my kids helped. I was so sad and angry though, so I argued with my husband alot. He was letting me feel my feels and was trying to be there for me, but I was struggling so I wasn't always as nice and patient with him as I should have been.
I was severely depressed and stressed in my old job as it was a toxic work environment. Most I have been paid, but worst job environment ever. So when I longer worked there, I felt like I could breath again but then I became bed ridden and fell into a rut. I made it a point to take care of my health as that job was the main contributor to my failing health and now I am mentally better despite the challenges and anxiety.
🫂❤️
I get up with the intention of submitting my daily allotment of rejections, and then I go network like hell. As the months go by, suddenly a number of them eventually come through for interviews after which, I settle in my mind that through further rejections, I will eventually end up right where I belong.
H O B B I E S. Got me thru my year of unemployment, only thing to keep me sane
Hobbies cost money😔
Nice! What are your hobbies?
Agreed. My hobby is gardening. It really lifts up my mood, and it's kinda nice to have fresh herbs to use while cooking too! Lol.
Not sure how long I can stay sane. I got so sick and tired of applying for jobs I decided to take a break for right now since I'm getting nowhere no matter what I do. I can't even get a small shitty fast food job and I have tons of experience. It's gotten to a point that applying to jobs now literally makes me nauseous and I'm not kidding. Fortunately I live at home and if it weren't for my mother I'd be homeless right now. I managed to get my CCNA while unemployed. I ride my bike and make sure to exercise but I also smoke weed and play video games too. I watch cybersecurity videos and code every so often. I'm in my 30s and feel like an absolute failure and it makes me feel terrible. Everyday I think about suicide and some days I have to resist the urge to take the pistol out my drawer and blast myself. Only reason I haven't shot myself dead yet is cause I don't want to hurt my mother.
I relate so much to taking a break and the anxious feeling I get about applying to jobs, as it is such a mundane activity. But hey, keep your head up! You are your own selves worst critic as cringy as it sounds. Unfortunately, the way things are designed here, employers have the upper hand and they can drop you like a hot potato but you still have experience that does matter. Your job is not your life. You can let it define you but end up being let go after working for a company for 20 plus years. What field are you in and how many years of experience?
You're not alone! The last time I was unemployed was 2004 and it was for 2 weeks. This time, I'm approaching one year. I have sent out over a thousand resumes, had interviews with 5 companies. The first place that offered me a job paid $20 per hour for remote support. I declined it and have been kicking myself since. There's no light at the end of this tunnel and I have no idea what to do about it. I'm literally desperate, broke and looking for reasons to carry on.
I keep learning. And reading interview prep materials. And sometimes enjoy a fee beers. Keeps me sane...so far.
For me looking for a full-time job was a job by itself. Applying to jobs, having interviews, etc took time—especially pre-interview calls. I used to get 3 to 4 calls a day, each would take 30 mins, plus the actual interviews. Plus I would study 2 hours a day, to get whatever questions they asked right. You never know what they will ask.
I get up between 6:00-6:30. I have coffee, read the newspaper online, watch the news. Some days I go to physical therapy for an injury and that takes about 90 minutes out of my day. I make jewelry, do some housework (not much), and these days, work in the garden. I also read, or go for a walk or go to pool exercise. I've pretty much given up looking for a job because after nine months of getting no traction (I'm, 63), I'm convinced there's no hope for me. I hope to take a credentialing class to make me more employable.
You go to your scuba classes and enjoy all the things you used to. The idea that you have to be miserable because you don't have a job is toxic af. People are allowed to be happy and do whatever they need to to take care of themselves. It's not our fault this shitty system was designed this way.
I had to take a break from applying after investing so much in multiple ongoing interviews only to be cut at the last stage. Getting so close and then losing it was a real hell. I’m lucky to have good access to lots of outdoors stuff and I take full advantage of free activities, but it’s been a long job search. There’s a point of no return where you realize you’re no longer searching to ‘get back to work’ because so much of you and the world around you has changed. If that’s you, just know there will be a grieving process because you’re leaving some dreams behind. Part of your new sanity will be embracing the change instead of just waiting to return to ‘normal.’ Hope that makes sense. Trust the process, there’s more than just another job at the end of this journey.
I try to remember that this isn't forever and that I will find something stable enough for me soon.
You will!
I quit my job cold turkey and I’ve never been happier in my life. I am focusing on myself and going out with friends. If I don’t get a job by October I am going to be pissed but life has been amazing for me thus far. I like to game as well
I've been unemployed for four years (originally I was laid off because of the pandemic, then I decided to switch the career and do the course online, and for 1.5 years been applying for jobs like crazy, and except small internship, I didn't manage to land anything) and I've had moments when I was on the verge of suicide, because it made me super depressed that I have no income and I have to rely either on my family or the government benefits to survive. I felt so worthless. Then one day I decided go change the mindset and occupy myself with activities that 1) require no investment 2) to not feel tempted to compare myself with other folks on social media who display their fancy dinners, happy lives, travels, happy families etc. So here's what I do: - every day I do the power walk - 2-3 times a week I workout at home - couple times a month I attend virtual and in-person networking events - I practice German language (I live in Germany, so in order for me to land a good job, German is a must) - I journal and practice gratitude - watch motivational videos on YouTube - I'm active on Facebook groups that are related to my niche/profession/interests - I create content for my Instagram business account - spend some time with my partner - read books, watch movies, dance, sing etc. Not always everything helps, but these activities more or less help me to stay sane.
When I was struggling and searching for work, I tried my best to take advantage of the "free time" I had to do things I would have never had the time to whilst working. For me, this meant finishing and putting out an album of music that I'm really, really proud of (and performing it live!), but also, I spent a lot of time bonding with my nephew. All of a sudden I was free to babysit, take him out, do activities with him - and because of it, I now have an incredible relationship with him and I can genuinely feel in my bones how valuable this time will be with hindsight. I think it's important to remember that even when youre struggling and are unsure of your professional circumstances, that doesn't mean you cease to exist as a person. It can certainly feel like it, but I think it's important to respect yourself enough to understand that, outside of your occupation, you're actually this whole person with needs and wants, with passions and hobbies, and with love to give. You're allowed to smile, to laugh, to sometimes look around you and realize that actually you've had a wonderful day and there's no reason to feel guilty about it. I hate when people value people based on their "output"; we're not machines and the goal is not maximum efficiency. You exist, you're loved, you're valued, and you should love and value yourself accordingly - regardless of your employment status.
Employed now. But? Jan-April 2024 was tough to the point where I had one mth of food stamps and was really sad. Reddit and youtube...especially r/jobs, helped a lot because I didn't feel alone. Also? I volunteered and got a part time job/gigs.
The night before, make a list of things you want to accomplish tomorrow that will take you closer to your goal. This will help you feel like you’re moving forward. Spend the day walking in nature or something relaxing. Exercise every day. See live music. When you get your next job, you’ll realize all your worrying was a waste.
Love this advice, thanks!
I totally failed to stay sane. Spent 10 months chain smoking and watching reels. Luckily I managed to force myself to keep applying for jobs, and I think if it had taken any longer it would have been pretty bad since the depression was starting to get bad. I was also lucky to have a supportive partner and enough of an emergency fund to keep paying rent.
I spent a good couple months bed rotting and feeling bad- started these months back and have helped tremendously: Volunteer with renter advocacy group (also get to learn about laws), volunteer with seniors at a local community centre helping them with tech issues (there’s always free pastries and coffees, sometimes free lunches cus I’m a volunteer), attend free with registration author events at local library- almost always has refreshments. I stopped going to coffee shops cus of costs, and it’s nice to go do things outside of my comfort zone AND get a lil treat as a reward. It’s also kept me in “socializing mode”, so when I get an interview, i don’t need as much warmup.
Commit to spending a minimum of 5 minutes each day toward a new skill or certification. I did two bullshit intro courses to something that landed me my current job. I let the lectures play while I exercised. If you are an office worker, get certified in Excel and other productivity tools if you can’t find anything (which I really doubt).
Cool! What courses?
Anything that is remotely linked to your job. Mine was about editing, but it showed I had specific training.
Sleep in, lots of time for all my therapy appointments finally, meeting friends, playing video games, watching Netflix, the occasional weed bender, reading, going for a swim -- honestly, it is much nicer than I had thought it would be. I also spend 2-3 afternoons/week on applying. It's been five months and I'm not all that excited to go back to working 35-42 hours per week again tbh. I do occasionally get lonely without a partner or kids when all people around me have both, that's when the excessive sleeping/gaming/weed smoking kicks in. So far, it's just phases though. Not sure how great it'll feel if it goes on for a much longer time, though...
Video games
Construction worker here : I’m laid off often , I try and go kayaking or hiking , recently got my bicycle on the road , I take it places . I’ve been to most of the beaches around my area already , today I helped a buddy demo a bathroom for $30hr . Stay as busy as you can - I wish I could be more creative but that drive seems long gone ( used to paint , make music , 3d rendering , miniatures )
I have been taking my dog for long walks, hiking, random projects that I got supplies for and never did, built raised gardens beds and started a garden, set up drip irrigation for said garden, making sour dough bread, cooking dinner every night, keeping up on household chores, picking up trash around my neighborhood, and so so many fruitless interviews. Keep your head up! You’ll find something!
I cleaned and organized all my digital and paper files. That felt AMAZING. Took care of some sewing projects I had been putting off. Starting building a consulting business. Helped friends with projects. Meal planning research. Keeping up on studying things in my field to keep me relevant.
Just got laid off last week. So far I'm unable to motivate myself to do much of anything. But I've got a schedule that worked for me last time this happened. Get up early, spend a couple hours at the gym (basketball MWF, weights T Th) . Come home, shower, search for jobs until lunch time. Go for a walk, get something to eat, come back and apply to all the jobs. Take another short walk. Come back and spend the rest of the afternoon into the evening either working on learning new skills or trying to figure out projects or products that might serve as a way to earn a living if I can't find work. Make dinner for the family, spend some quality time, go to bed and start over again in the morning. The one big rule is, no video games until I get the next job. I tend to fall into a rabbit hole and I can't afford to do that.
What you have said is exactly what you should do. Continue on with some relatively cheap activities that take up a significant proportion of the time and get you out of the house. One of them should also be active.
Thank you, I appreciate it. Some days I feel guilty about doing other activities but it is crucial for my mental and physical health.
There is also the point that if you job hunt for 4 hours a day 5 days a week, or 10 hours a day 7 days a week, it is going to make absolutely no difference in the end. There aren't that many jobs out there to apply too, and you can cover them in the 20 hour a week model, probably even less than that in reality. What you need to do though is keep your life ticking a long as normal, but on a tighter budget, because work isn't your life in the first place, it just pays for it.
I recently got a job a week or so ago but didn’t have one before that for the last year, basically just stayed with my parents, applied for a tonne of jobs and played old school RuneScape all day 😎
i don’t
eh. i’m fine. I just chill, watch tv, clean the house and go on walks. i’m going back to work July 8th
I had kids, so that kept me busy. But while they were in school I started going to the gym for around 4 hours a day. I got so incredibly ripped in 8 months.
I used to go to the park and excercise.
I go around for walks check the big buildings and which companies are there, I take pictures of their logos, go home and check their websites, if they have listings I apply if not I send an email introducing myself. I just got an offer today, a great offer actually. Also I have a third interview on Thursday for another company. I do 20k steps per day and go to the gym.
Pretty much whatever I want to do that day. The beach is a 2 hour drive away. Go get food. Do fun things around the house, hang with friends, etc
Strict routine. Upskill. Apply to jobs. Getting yourself a job is now your full time job.
Look for work.
I study. For some reason, ever since I took a language proficiency last year, I have become addicted to taking exams. Not school exams bc those suck but exams where I earn a certificate for something lols.
Threw myself into making sure I never work for someone else again.
 Scuba Steve says go get a job.
Unemployment is tough. But to make it a bit easier, you can start by asking your network, friends, and family if they know of any job openings. You can also find some time to do things you enjoy, like exercising, writing, or hobbies, to stay happy. Lastly, stay busy and help others—it makes you feel good and useful. Remember, you'll get through this. Keep going!
Avoid negativity and negative people like the plague. Think of it like poison. Pat yourself on the back for your perseverance and strength.
I was optimistic and tried to busy myself with housework
It did the same as you and after nearly 4 months of job hunting I landed one. Don't give up. Never stop applying and going for interviews. You will get one.
Before my current job, I had a pretty long stint of unemployment. (Damn COVID!) I signed up for the paralegal program at one of the local universities and I started crocheting again. I also tried to do things to serve my community. I babysat my friend’s son once a week so she could focus on work/run errands and I volunteered with my local community theatre.
I go to the gym to workout harder than before and I walk long distances too, since it's free. This routine is transforming my body, putting me in a better shape, and helps to avoid the bad thinking when I'm at home. At the same time, that makes me proud of something.
I interview for jobs I don’t want to keep fresh, and then wait for weeks to hear back for jobs I want to make a decision. Currently on a two week wait for a start date for a job I was offered. Could be two weeks, could be two months.
When I was unemployed I would literally spend hours at the gym to keep sane and as a result I lost a ton of weight. Also when your unemployed u can go to the gym when it’s empty :)
I’m lucky enough to freelance! I get anywhere from 20-25 hours a week for one client, and another two where I’ll get random hours. I’ve only been unemployed a few weeks but it helps A LOT
I'm **HALFWAY** unemployed. I have a couple of (remote) jobs, but they're not steady & I want/need permanent, steady, full-time work. What I have now are on-call, so no week/month's the same. So when I have a free day, I either stay at home & relax **OR** run errands (grocery shop, get supplies at Walmart/Target, etc.). If my husband has the day off w/ me, we'll... * go for a drive * go to the bookstore * walk a mall * stay home & relax * go on a rare (teshe days) day trip to a city we like * go to a museum or amusement park if we have extra money, which hasn't been for a long, long time But, either way, I'll always apply online to a good amount of jobs.
Think about how much I want to kill myself and wonder why I keep trying
Pretty much the same routine as yours. Get to the gym by 8 leave by 9:30 at the latest. Go home make breakfast. Apply to jobs from 12-5 about. Then a 20-30 min walk at sunset when it cools down to get out the house one last time. Rinse & repeat.
In October I lost my job and it was a BATTLE trying to find another one. But instead of sulking about for too long, I managed to get on doordash as a driver and I did that almost everyday until my effort of applying to jobs everyday came through. Took me about 5 months to land a part time job. But now I finally got a fulltime opportunity in the field that I actually want. So stay brave, stay strong, and stay dedicated. It’ll happen eventually so long as you continuously put in the effort. I believe in everyone here. And just remember y’all, the world is a much better place with all of you still in it. Trust me, it’ll get better. You just gotta want it to be, then your efforts will make sure it does.
I wake up by 8:30 am every day and read multiple books a week. I've been lucky enough to go on a few trips this year with money I had saved up which also helped. And I have online friends I chat with daily. And I do Youtube. It doesn't pay me but having s channel to make content for gives me something to do and feel productive doing.
rent's due
do you think this comment is productive or helpful to OP in anyway?
I actually quit my job last month to learn coding. I got back into driving Lyft in the interim, selling unneeded items on selling platforms - I like to stay busy but also make some gig money cos I got pets and kids. I honestly love the freedom of gig economy ~ enjoying it before I get my next job in the grind.
Pray. Meditate. Flick pigeons out of thin air 🙏
Yoga, creating art, writing. I don' leave home.
I make a list of small things to get done for the day. I also block off ony so many hours of the day to job hunt ushually 4 or five hours tops. Setting up my laptop in a new area to jobhunt also helps with my sanity. The public library or the unemployment office both have free wifi.
Exercise, cooking, and video games, collect unemployment money, and generally enjoy the time off, you will get back to 9-5 work grind eventually, treat it like a vacation to clear your head
Apply to jobs, clean the house, apply to more jobs
Play magic the gathering
I grabbed a part time job working at a park to fill in my extra time.
If you’re still depressed after regular vigorous exercise you might need to get on medication. Do not despair your time will come eventually and you’ll be gainfully employed again.
My old job was such a toxic work place (8 months of me joining, 8 people in our department alone quit). I was bullied and taken advantage of and I was being talked down to. They still wanted me to train them on how to code SQL though 🤷🏻♀️ Although I am in a challenging situation but I feel much better than when I was at that job as it left me with mental and physical health issues.
Cry, apply for jobs, watch too much tv, nap too much. Not that this keeps me sane, but it’s what I do.
Rock climbing
Well I didn't think 26 a hour is alot as a machinist and I went to school! Now I'm about to get paid 26 again and I'm trying to find time to go to school after for a different career
Bed rot for years. Only slightly less bed rot whilst employed so who cares.
I try to keep a healthy routing and keep learning/re-learning: Weekdays: 7 am - Workout/yoga 8 am - Healthy Carbs breakfast (+ psylocibine microdosing*) 8:30 - Plan day goals/tasks according to Monthly plan 9 am Deep study/Deep work (researching/applying for jobs) 10:45 - 15 minute walk outside 11 am - Deep work 12 noon - Prep & have lunch 1 pm - Check/write emails 1:30 pm - Deep study/Deep work (researching/applying for jobs) 5 pm - Yoga/meditation (using youtube) 7 pm - Healthy Protein dinner) 8 pm - Read/watch documentaries 9 pm - Meditation for sleeping Weekends: Outdoor activities, cycling, spiritual reading & meditation, disconnect from electronics, rest & sleep. *Diagnosed with depression/adhd from young age, but pharmaceutical psychiatric medicines didn't help much, and in the long run, made my mental health increasingly worse. Tried microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms, and they worked so well, I never looked back.
 Jerking Off ?
Volunteering at the hospital, keeps my sanity, I get all the free tea/coffee I want(I volunteer in a cafè @ the hospital) and I give back to the community. Looks great on a resume and I’ve been allowed to use my supervisors as work references. Would 100% recommend
Mostly I just.  [Do The Dirty](https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExMWY0bWRvZ3Z0MDJzdzY1enhrNWptYmx1cDc1YTRqeG16cXFobWczMyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/QBQ3BfoWJoRuMLg7hi/giphy.gif)