21 Things to Do If You're Unemployed

I love the above quote. Work is important, and we all have to make a living somehow, but it annoys me when people perpetually glorify and emphasize how busy they are. I think most people do it to feel validated...myself included. I'm guilty of saying things like, "I've been super busy lately." And even if I really have been busy, in the back of my mind, I'm hoping the comment somehow validated my worth as a human.

I've been somewhat unemployed for the past few weeks. I've had days of feeling embarrassed, worthless, depressed and unproductive, but the more I think about unemployment, the more I think of it as a blessing in disguise. You have every right to want to punch me in the face for that, but it's true. When we're not working, we give ourselves the opportunity to focus on other important matters aside from working---like self-care, kindness, playtime, the people we love, and therapeutic soul searching. It's easy to neglect all of those things when you're "super busy." 

So without further ado, I would like to present 21 things you can do if you're unemployed:

1. Stay in your pajamas all day. 

2. Do something good for your community. 

3. Catch up on sleep. 

4. Have a movie day---alone or with friends. 

5. Check something off your bucket list. 

6. Spend a few days (or longer) with a close relative or friend. 

7. Go for an aimless walk or drive just to see where you end up. 

8. Go around town and see how many random acts of kindness you can perform within 24 hours (or more).  

9. Bake some goodies you've been meaning to try, and display them in an "all you can eat buffet" fashion for your family or friends.   

10. Take up a new hobby. 

11. Write and mail some letters. 

12. Renovate or clean your home. 

13. Spend a day or two at the beach...or park...or wherever you want.  

14. Indulge in a guilty pleasure without feeling guilty about it at all. 

15. Plan a stay-cation. 

16. Set some new goals. 

17. Learn a new skill. 

18. Ask yourself what you really want to do and then do it. 

19. Use the extra time on your hands to assist people who don't have as much. For example, offer to clean, babysit, or run errands for someone who has been particularly busy lately. 

20. Get to know yourself---truly and deeply. 

21. Keep looking for work. 

<3 Madison