One of the things unemployed people are quick to learn besides being patient is being flexible with their time, decisions, and life. For the most part, the ability to make decisions on a whim stems from having already had the rug pulled out from under them when they were laid off. After getting over the shock of losing their job and having to figure out how to get back on their feet with the assistance of those lovely unemployment checks, the jobless have to adapt to having to be ready for whatever life throws at them.
At first, the decisions are hard, such as having to choose between eating and making rent or whether to buy cheap toilet paper or spring for the quilted stuf. Eventually, as unemployment stretches out and people start going with the flow more and actually making lemonade with their lemons, the hard decisions that once boggled them down start becoming easier and easier to make. Part of this is due to the fact that with some minor exceptions, there really is nothing to get in the way of the unemployed. With a seemingless endless amount of time ahead of them, whatever decision they may make that day will not really impact their life.
For example, if presented with the option to go to a free concert or stay in and apply for a really cool job, what’s another day of being jobless? If a friend calls and says she’s going on a random trip to the boonies to hang out in the river with some locals, having the ability to say yes is crucial because the only other choice would be to sweat out the hot day at home alone while watching meaningless television. The decision to say yes to go on an impromptu trip to Target even though everything at home is already stocked up could end up with a very fulfilling day of unemployment with more activities packed into a day than what would normally take weeks or months to do. At the end of the day, opening up and being able to wing it and make the right decision (i.e. whatever is the most fun) will make unemployment just that much less miserable.
Tags: day of unemployment, flexible schedule, killing time, things to do when unemployed, unemployed patience
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This is a great post! I agree with most of what you said.
I have been without a job for a VERY long time. Being unemployed definitely gets me down, especially because people always ask me what I do for a living. I hate that question.
Plus, I’m completely dependent on my husband for money.
But you know what? Being unemployed really does make you look at life differently, whether for better or for worse.
On any given day, I can decide to run errands and clean the apartment. If I want to stay home and eat ice cream, I have that option.
If I want to exercise, I can. If I want to spend hours at the bookstore, I can. If I want to walk around the mall (without feeling the need to spend money), I can.
I try to view it as a positive. Sure, I’m bummed about being broke and unemployed. But I still try to see that it could be worse. I could be stuck in a job I hate, working with people I can’t stand.
I could be making minimum wage and putting up with rude people. I could be sitting in an office somewhere, wishing that I were at home.
This is one of the few positive things that come with not having a job. You can decide to fill your day with activities if you want to. Or you can simply stay home, take a nap, read books, and do whatever the hell you want.
I might do something fun today…you’ve definitely inspired me.