by Lucy Edington

Created on: July 13, 2009   Last Updated: July 15, 2009

No matter how frustrating we find looking for employment, there are always things we can do to boost our morale. We have to remember that we deserve to be happy, our family and friends want us to be fulfilled, and that life looks so much brighter when we sustain a positive attitude. If you are forced to take longer out of the workplace than you planned, start to think about all the ways you can turn that to your advantage. Employers often ask for us to outline how we occupied our time in our career breaks, and having a few positive things to write or say in response is crucial. In these uncertain times, employers are aware that we may not all be lucky enough, or have circumstances which allow us, to be employed all the time. If we can put a positive spin on any gaps in our employment history, however, we may come across as a more honest, rounded individual than our competitors.

I'm not sure how I will find the time to have a full-time job again; I'm having quite a lot of fun being 'unemployed'. This is because I am not letting the blues in. I have mulled over all the usual questions about where I fit into the world, whether I am a 'worthwhile' member of society and how the dickens my husband puts up with me; and they just depress me. Depression gets none of us anywhere, so I am endeavouring to enjoy the time I have 'off'.

Of course, I am not really unemployed. I job search on the Internet, send out my Curriculum Vitae to those who say they want to peruse it, and clean the house for at least an hour every day. I know that exercise is important so I am walking at least 10 miles a week, hoping to work off the stone I put on at the call-centre job I left seven weeks ago. I don't like spending my husband's money unnecessarily so I go out with friends very cheaply. I am fortunate in that the summer is the best time to meet up with them, and the weather is quite kind.

I think that there is a lot of guilt that would overwhelm me if I let it. My husband works hard in an office all day and I get to stay at home and do what I want. I have many projects on the go: I knit and crochet and I also write, both for Helium and my novel that was stymied for a long time. I find that my wanderings bring me ideas for my story. I am beginning to remember who I was in my University days because I have time alone to think and mull things over, something which gets very neglected when one has a job. This means I am becoming more self-fulfilled, which in turn means

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