Unemployed but worse still not constructive! (Advice needed)

Red Betty · Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 3 Location: Sydney, Australia

So I've been unemployed for about a month now.
I recently quit/lost my job and went to a different country for a month.
For a holiday/ chance to sort my life out and to rekindle a friendship with my brother.

But on returning I have fallen into a slump.
I'm finding it difficult to get appropriate work so I have alot of time on my hands.
Usually I am a very creative person, yet I am having trouble becoming motivated and inspired to be productive.

I feel like I am wasting the time I have and are constantly annoyed at myself for not dealing with things better.
My creative levels are low which is making me feel a little stressed and alot depressed.

I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on things I can do, to motivate myself.

Sorry for complaining, I know there is alot of hard working people out there that would love to have some time off.
But I really do feel the guilt for not being constructive.
It's driving me crazy.

xxx

lizzymahoney · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 804

My sympathy, and my envy...

Set yourself small goals. It doesn't have to be creative, but maybe on the crafty organization side. I don't have time to full out craft right now, but I can pull out my beads and reorg them, rough out ideas for what I want to make next. I also base coated some things I want to paint, took apart a lamp that needs refinishing even though it will be months before i get to it, and collected my patterns in a more logical manner.

Keep it small, and that way when you feel just uninspired you can veg for a bit and then get back to it.

You might take some time to start a journal if you don't already. I don't do any online, but every time I take a trip anywhere, I write about it. Very personal accounts and observations and thoughts of what I would do differently the next time sort of stuff.

There's plenty of real work for me to do, not just my job and my studies but actually house cleaning and personal care. Yet the playing with beads or patterns or paint or gardening for a little while is keeping the creative ideas going.

sewing stars · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 112 Location: Little Rhody

i know how you feel about being in a funk and not being motivated. what i find really helpful is to be inspired. i look at crafty books, or go to the fabric store and paw through the fabrics. sometimes, because i have so much fabric, i just go through my stash and get motivated to use something i forgot i had.

as far as being unemployed, i did that once for 5 weeks and it was not fun for me. i am the kind of person that needs structure, though. even if i were to be self-employed i would probably get a part-time job just to maintain the structure...
_________________
never forget how to fly...

jangrl · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 103

don't know if this will help but...

i say relax. it could be that you're in a slump cuz you're worrying a lot. go to the park with a book and pack a good sammich. catch a matinee at the local dollar theater. have friends over for a potluck. just make yourself feel better. if that doesn't work, at least you won't feel so glum.

i hope everything works out for you.

jangrl
_________________
member of the feminist clique since 1977

teagrrl · Joined: 05 Jul 2004 Posts: 462 Location: Far away

Yeah, maybe you need to be improductive (is that a word?) for a while? I think you'll eventually get back to normal (if you normally are productive) again...but if you don't, the suggestions other people have made are great.

Are you also finding it hard to motivate yourself to apply for jobs? Or is it just what to do in your "free" time?

You might want to volunteer at some place or perhaps visit a friend/relative at their work (I mean following them around, helping out if it's possible) just to give your days some structure - it can be as little as one hour a day. For me, it's much easier to get things done if I have other things planned as well; if I don't have anything that I have to do, I just say to myself, "well, I can knit/write/take a walk/whatever tomorrow..." I'm unemployed too, but I've started to help my uncle in the small grocery store that he owns, and even though the job isn't all too exciting at least I feel that I do something. Plus, I get work experience that I can use in my CV. If I lived somewhere else I'd probably contact local organisations to see if they need volunteers in their office or otherwise.

Also, not doing anything productive doesn't necessarily mean you're wasting your time!

***ETA: I just read a book called something like "when you can change, you will" (OK, I admit that I browse the self-help book section in the library...:-), and the main idea of it was basically that of the title (if you're not ready to change, you can't force yourself to do it. Change will come when you're ready) but also that when you want to be/do something but can't for the moment, it's no use feeling miserable about it. Sometimes it's better to put the problems aside and just have fun and do things you love, instead of feeling guilty for what you're not doing. I don't know if any of this applies to you, but it popped into my head when I read jangrl's post.

chriswalny · Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Royal Oak, Michigan

Wow, I'm so happy I read your post - I'm going through the exact same thing. I always thought it would be so great not to have to work - I dreamed of all the stuff I would have time for...
But now, I'm married to someone who makes more money than we need, so I feel really unmotivated to find a job, even though I know my self esteem is suffering. And I've thought about volunteering too - almost as much as I've thought about starting (or finishing!) the 85 projects I have laying about.
It's so weird. I had no idea my identity and self esteem were so connected to earning my own money. I've never even made very much - just enough to work as little as possible and still pay the rent. But now the rent is paid, so how do I know how much work to do?
Anyhow, thanks for the inspiration. I am absolutely at the very least going to paint the bookshelves today.
Cheers.

topazdebutante · Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 38

Im kind of going through this right now. I had a full time...asked to be part time and now am wondering if I should work two jobs for insurance reasons, go back to school or do a lot of under the table tutoring.

I found that when I was unemployed I tried to do things that will make it easier once you do become employed.

I would drop off clothes, catch up on dry cleaning errands, write letters, call companies and ask for lower interst rates..like I had been meaning to etc...

I also made a lot of meals and cookies and froze them.

I don't know if it helps but it has made some things smoother for me in the long run.
_________________
*Luck & wishes*

Becky65301 · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 80

I can sorta relate to what you're saying- I normally work but took the summer off cause we couldn't find day care for the kids. Which is like being unemployed, only I get to go back in a couple weeks. (and not a moment too soon, kids driving me crazy!)

I didn't even mess with being inspired or crafty for the first few weeks, I just layed around like a slug and watch Oprah and HGTV all day. But I was long overdue for a break, and probably you are too.

After a few weeks I got into my craft stash boxes with the intent of sorting things out, and found a bunch of silly craft kits I'd bought probably 3 years ago (on sale, you know how it goes) that I don't even know why I bought now, but they were quick easy mindless projects. So I made myself do them, under the pretense of not wasting money. Then I came across an old book- crocheted amulet bags- and some cool thread and thought they looked easy enough, I might try one of those. Basically I just slid into it slowly, with mindless projects, and eventually the creative part and the inspiration kicked back in. But honestly, it took a couple months, cause I was so tired and so burned out. At this point, I've been whipping out scarves and hats and little bags and wierdo Christmas ornaments and even a little Fimo... getting stocked up for gift-giving I guess... which is good cause we are *poor* right now, LOL...

Astoria · Joined: 20 Aug 2004 Posts: 35 Location: New York

I know what you are going through, I recently quit my job and travaled for a bit, and now I am home and am trying to figure out what I am doing and mostly not doing what I should. I am doing a little temp work, but on days I don't have work I find that I don't do a whole lot. I have promised my self that I would paint today and today is almost over so I really need to do that. One thing you might want to do is make a list of things you would like to do/ things that need to be done and choose just one a day to work on. I personally have been working on a gold medal in sleeping since I have been unemployed.

Astoria