KEEPING YOUR SANITY AT INSANE TIMES: Surviving Job Search Limbo

Unfortunately and fully unexpectedly as of a decade ago, several events - the dot.com busts, the economy after 9/11, moving back home after a decade away and life in general conspired to make holding down a full-time position more difficult than I would have imagined. Nevertheless, as far as I can tell, I have maintained some measure of financial security, albeit at a lower ebb, and a generally positive outlook with a measure of sanity and confidence still intact.

This article focuses on the steps you can take to preserve the most important part of your well-being at this point - your mental outlook and health, while also staying in touch with the necessities: finding that next job and keeping your finances in reasonable order.

FIND AN INEXPENSIVE HOBBY OR INTEREST:

Unless you have a tremendous nest egg secured, this is not the time to expect a major career change, but you can devote additional time to careers that you want to further. At this time, you can give them full-time priority with the understanding that once your career path resumes, you will have built a foundation that hopefully leads to additional income on the side and perhaps eventually a full-time career in a field that you enjoy more than your present one. The range of these activities are near limitless: writing, teaching, website work or design, small business development, whatever you can envision.

You will shortly find that the skills necessary to develop these occupations mirror those of your full-time positions: preparation, execution, discipline and attention to detail. Working through these tasks will provide mental challenges, keep your skills sharp as you discuss new positions with employers and maintain the daily structure that resembles your normal work life even when circumstances are not normal.

LOOK AROUND YOU FOR OTHER THINGS TO DO:

Chances are you have several items around your residence that you can spend productive time exploring:

1) yard or home improvement work - much of this can be done with tools and equipment you already have, no major renovations required just work that may have been set aside previously;
2) books, periodicals, writing material - this is a good time to take an inventory of goods that you have not used, some of which perhaps you can sell, others that you can read at a time when you might not otherwise be able to get to lengthy texts: War and Peace, The Fountainhead,

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