How about taking up a hobby? It can be anything you like to do in your spare time. I used to spend almost every day playing tennis in the summers while I had nothing to do for pay.

You should consider seeing a good movie. It is a wonderful way to take your mind off your problems.

I used to see a lot of movies in the theater, with many of them being shown at a cinema that showed films much more cheaply than other cinemas. If you cannot afford to pay more than five dollars to see a movie that has just come out and you do not have the option of seeing movies that have been out for a while at a fraction of the cost that comes with seeing a new movie, you should try to check out a movie from a library for free.

You should spend a lot of time with your family and friends. It is good for you to be with those who love and care about you; besides, they need you.

You should also consider frequently making a phone call to your buddies who live in your region and occasionally calling your relatives who live far away. Simply talking to someone you treasure on the phone can be fun and make you happy.

Do you have a pet? If you do not, it would be a good idea to get one and spend plenty of time bonding with it.

If you have not already done so, you must get busy sending out resumes and filling out job applications. This can do wonders for helping you feel like you are doing something worthy with your time.

You should consider taking up self-employment. The options you have include writing articles and taking surveys. You can read articles to find the best web sites that pay you to do these things.

It is important to carry a good attitude. You should tell yourself, “There is hope for me. I will get through this difficult period and come out stronger than ever.”

You must not always sit around doing nothing. Instead, you should consider taking a brisk walk. Exercising is a great way to feel good.

It is vital to do something that will help your career prospects in the long run. For example, you must develop skills that are relevant to the business world.

How about doing crosswords? This is an excellent way to challenge your brain.

You should play good music, laugh and think about the good times you have had. This will surely stimulate and make you happy.

How about doing the chores you have delayed starting? Once you finish, you will surely be proud of yourself.

Take these measures to make your time of unemployment fun!

            Step #1: File for unemployment insurance benefits.  This step is probably already obvious, but it’s good to get this process started immediately.  It will take several weeks to begin receiving your benefits, so get this out of the way the same day you get laid off.  Right now you’re probably feeling vulnerable, so you’ll also get the piece of mind that you’ve just done something practical that’s in your control.  Find a place to get online and get this done . . . right away.  It only takes a few minutes, and if you have a straightforward lay-off you will get benefits quickly.

            Step #2: Take a day off.  This may go against the grain of your natural inclinations, but do it anyway.  You’ve just had the wind knocked out of you emotionally, and you need to catch your breath and collect your brains.  Just because you’re taking a day off doesn’t mean you can’t make it productive.  Go for a walk in a park or other quiet place where you can walk and think.  Use this time to consider the ramifications of what has just happened and begin to formulate a plan.  Bring a pad of paper and a pen and start writing down ideas as they come.  Evaluate your personal skills and start thinking about the attributes you can offer your next job (yes, you will find one).  This may be a good time to reconsider your entire career, particularly if you weren’t especially happy with the job you just left.  Think about what you’re good at and what you like to do.  Write it all down – this will help you as you decide what jobs to apply for.  If you don’t like to write, bring a tape or mp3 recorder and talk to it as you think to listen back to your ideas later.  Most of all get some much-needed alone time to re-evaluate and let the shock factor wear off.  Whatever you do, don’t turn to alcohol during this time.  It will probably be very tempting, but right now you need a clear head.  If you turn to alcohol now during this tough time, you will put yourself at a greater risk of dependence.  Just take a day or two to collect your thoughts and organize your plan of attack. 

            Step #3: Evaluate your finances.  Unemployment insurance doesn’t pay what your job did, so you need to take some time to evaluate your financial situation.  This is best done with your mate so that you are both on the same page.  The last thing you need right now is more stress resulting from a lack of communication regarding your financial state of affairs.  You will want to figure out your monthly expenses and then prioritize.  You might be surprised at what you can cut back on or live without for a few months until things get back to normal.  Figure out which bills are high priority and must be paid now and which ones can wait for a while.  If you don’t already have one, it will be essential to establish a budget and keep track of your expenditures while you are unemployed.  You’ll want to find out what your unemployment insurance benefits will be before you do this.  Try to keep a $500 – $1,000 cushion for emergencies and unforeseen expenses.  More is better for this cushion.  It will give you peace of mind and safety if you really need it. 

            Step #4: Dust off your resume.  Your resume has just been outdated.  For some people, it’s been outdated for ten years!  In either case, it’s time to get out the good old resume and bring it up to date.  Don’t just bring it up to date with your job list, but update the whole thing.  You have much more experience than you did even six months ago.  Grab the list you made on your day off and incorporate into your resume and cover letter all the skills you’ve acquired in the last few years.  There are probably a lot!  Maybe it’s something simple like working with children (your own do count) or increased social skills.  That makes you more hirable.  Make your resume reflect your true potential and value.  Remember, chances are no one else is going to your future employers to laud about you – you’re going to have to do this yourself.   Remember the KISS rule (Keep It Simple, Stupid).  You may have tons of skills, but evaluate which ones are job-worthy and prioritize.  Your resume needs your major accomplishments, skills and experience, but if it’s too long no one will want to read it.  Make your resume simple, eye-catching, engaging, and enticing.  In this day of online applications and drop-off resumes, this may be your only chance to catch an employer’s eye.  In this economy, your resume will probably come in with hundreds of others, even for a simple job.  You need to make sure yours will stand out. 

            Step #5: Look for available jobs.  Granted, this is probably the most difficult and draining part of the whole process.  It is a very real possibility that you may not find a job that pays what you were making at your last one.  Hundreds of companies are laying off their long-term employees so that they can hire someone for less money.  Talk it over with your family and evaluate whether or not it’s worth staying in the same town.  It may be well worth your while to search jobs in other parts of the country, which is very easy with Internet job boards.  Compile a list of jobs that interest you, then start weighing the pros and cons of each one.  Making a list or a spreadsheet will help you organize your thoughts and present the ones that interest you to your mate and/or family. 

            Step #6: Apply, apply, and apply!  Believe it or not, this can actually be the fun part!  After all, you are currently in the driver’s seat of your own career.  Now could be the time to step out and apply for that job you always thought would be fun!  Evaluate what you really want in life.  Is that high-paying office job really worth sacrificing all the joy that a fulfilling job can bring?  It is almost always better to love what you do than to make more money doing something you hate.  Quality of life has no price tag, and it’s value may be well worth a couple dollars per hour.  Apply to jobs that sound like fun to you.  In this day and age, almost everything is done online.  Go ahead and submit your online application, but then go a step further.  If you want the job, you’re going to have to prove it.  Go to the business you’re applying at and drop off a paper copy of your resume.  This really will help get their attention.  You may not be able to talk to a manager or HR director, but your paper resume will stand out among the hundreds of online applications.  When you go, be ready for an interview.  Dress appropriately, and be prepared for the manager to step out and give an impromptu interview on the spot! 

            Step #7: Prepare for your interviews.  Interviews can be intimidating and somewhat difficult.  However, if you’re prepared, they can be easy.  Something as simple as a confident attitude can open doors for you.  That list will come in handy again as you prepare for your interview.  Think through your attributes, and be ready to enthusiastically present your best ones.  Have situations in mind where you were a leader, innovator, problem-solver, and go-getter.  That way, when the interviewer asks, “Was there a time in your life when you set a goal and followed through on it?” you’ll have a ready answer.  Write down a variety of situations, and review them until you can answer a variety of questions quickly and confidently.  Practices in front of a mirror first, then have a family member conduct a mock-interview.  Give them a list of questions on flash cards to ask you if it will make things easier.  It’s better to get your jitters out on a family member than on a potential employer!  Also prepare the clothing you will wear very carefully.  It’s always better to overdress than under dress, but the key is appropriateness.  You would probably not want to apply for a carpentry job in a suit and tie, but a collared shirt is always better than a t-shirt.  Going to interviews with confidence and preparation can be the surest way to land a job.  Don’t forget to have a good reason why you want this particular job! 

            Step #8: Consider your options.  Right now, your future is a blank sheet of paper.  What you draw on it is up to you!  Look into that business idea you’ve had in the back of your mind for years.  Right now, there are some good incentives for new businesses.  You have nothing to lose by weighing all your options, and you may discover the dream lifestyle you’ve always wanted.  Now might be a good time to get the further training that you always put off.  There really are unlimited possibilities, and now is a good time to think about them!  As long as there are options, there is hope.  And there will always be more options!  Don’t let yourself get discouraged as the weeks drag on.  Keep on working hard until you find what you’re looking for.  It will pay off in the end! 

Image by born1945 via Flickr

Before you start to panic though, take some time to ponder on the benefits of not having a 9 – 5 and think about your new found freedom in a positive light. Push your financial worries to one side and take a look at these fantastic reasons why being unemployed may be something you could at least make the best of for a short while:

• You can hit the snooze button without guilt and climb back under the covers for at least another hour
• You get to see a totally different TV schedule to the one you know inside out
• You don’t have to wash and iron those work clothes – it used to be such a bind!
• You can meet your mates in the same position and take comfort/humour from each other
• You will actually get around to having that ebay clearout you have promised yourself for the past 2 years and actually make some money
• You can write all the triond articles you like and do it when you like
• You can go to bed whatever time you feel like it and not worry about that meeting tomorrow
• You no longer have to put up with that horrible boss or patronising woman in the payroll department
• You can spend some time with the kids and have some fun
• You can sort out your paperwork
• You can spend hours on the net, face book or email friends to your hearts content
• You can learn something new, like how to get more readership for your articles and really work on it
• You can have a few drinks without the fear of a hangover on a work day!
• You can actually imagine doing something completely different because deep down although you have talked about it, you were never going to get out of your comfort zone

You’ve worked hard for a long time so although it’s not desirable for the long term, look at your unemployed status like they do in the acting profession; “You are “resting darling!’ so enjoy it.

In the movie Dark Days, director Marc Singer decided to document the lives of many homeless people living in vast dark tunnels under New York City. All the homeless had similar experiences with life such as family tragedies, drug addiction, and loss of love, shelter and food but all felt sorrow and regret for the things they had done. “It’s a dump down there,” Singer says, “pitch black, rats running around everywhere, garbage, and smells that make your eyes water. When I first went down there, I was amazed and awed; I had so much respect for everybody and I kept thinking, “Could I have done this or would I have let myself go to pieces?” (indiewire) In the movie the police threatened to make all the tunnel residents within 30 days or face a forcible eviction. “They should leave us down here until they get housing then once they get housing they should ship us out,” said one of the upset residents after the police told them they would get them housing and shelter. “They are going to break up the family…I”ve got three words and it’s not I love you…its leave us alone!” said another angry homeless man. None of them wanted to go to a shelter. They worried about their stuff could get stolen or being infected with drugs and/or unclean drugs. When I heard that information on the video I found it surprising that the homeless would be worried about being infected by something (let alone drugs), but later on in my own interview at a local restaurant with Michael, a homeless man, I found out that he had the same reasoning. He said that “Shelters are unclean and you don’t know who is around you. Most don’t have background checks and the ones I have been to don’t even have a registry. You might be sleeping with a psycho and get killed during the middle of the night.” I then asked what he did instead “Man, here in Austin I tie my hammock above Barton Springs and sleep above the water. It’s peaceful and relaxing. I feel safe with the water flowing underneath you…Man it’s like heaven.”

Is it possible that shelters are the cause of homelessness? In the 1980’s there were several shelters and soup kitchens that improved 200,000 to 300,000 people’s lives a day. Yet, “when the cost of something falls, demand usually rises. That truism holds regardless of whether the costs are monetary, emotional or physical. When the expected cost of crime or adultery falls, more people engage in them. When homelessness becomes less painful, people are less willing to sacrifice their pride, their self-respect, or their cocaine fix to avoid it.” It might sound horrible to say that people chose to become homeless but they are not just submissive victims. “They make choices, like everyone else. The choices open to the homeless are far worse than those open to most Americans, but they are still choices” (103-104, Jencks).

Michael told me that he wasn’t homeless because of family problems or drugs (although he did do them); it was because of his need to travel and explore. He left his home at the age of fifteen and set out to see the world. If he needed money he would stand out on a fairly busy street corner and could make up to $20 an hour. That’s all he really needed for a couple of weeks. He got around by hitchhiking not by trains. He said he has gone around on trains a few times but jumping off damages your back pretty bad and he wouldn’t recommend it. “A normal day for the homeless doesn’t exist. You don’t have any place to be. You don’t have to worry about rent or picking up children from school. You just are and it’s great.” He went on to explain all the places he had seen and the beauty within them. He told me his most tragic moment was when his mother died, and he pleaded the 5th when I asked him how many times he had been arrested. He, just like the people in the tunnels of New York, claimed that time did not exist.

Another homeless man on Barton Springs Road called himself Music and talked freely about how many times the cops arrested him for jumping on trains, peeing in public places, disrupting the peace, trespassing, and well, way too many to name. He told me he wasn’t homeless because all the reasons one might think. He wanted to make a statement. He wanted to be against anything having to do with big corporations and the way society lived. He wanted to stand out and stand out is what he did. He traveled just as much as Michael did and his joy in life was music. He traveled to see concerts even if he was standing outside the gates. It was almost like he was trying to recreate the hippie movement in the 60’s and 70’s but failed by a couple generations.

Is there some sort of psychological disorder that these people have that make them want to stand out against the norm? Is it something inside of them that makes them become this way? In the text book Understanding Psychology it reads, “It is estimated that 25 percent of the homeless are mentally ill, overlapping partially with 33 percent of the homeless estimated to be severely addicted (Nation Coalition of the Homeless, 1999). This seems to be a direct result of deinstitutionalization.” (Kasschau, 508) Although I agree that some might have been in institutions, I find it hard to believe that more than half of the homeless population came out of mental institutes. However, I do believe from my observation (from videos, books and personal interviews) that more than 99 percent of all homeless are addicted to some sort of drug and/or alcohol. Making it impossible to hold steady jobs and keep personal relationships.

Is it possible that the drugs are the reason why a homeless man travels so much and stays away from a steady job, or is it because they are scared to keep relationships with one another?

“In 1989, at the peak of the last business cycle, 1.2 million work-age husbands reported personal income below $2500. Some of these men were physically or mentally disabled. Some had no jobs for other reasons. Whatever the cause of their poverty, most relied on their wife’s income to keep going. An even larger number of married women were probably one man away from homelessness.” (Jencks 77)

If a family breakdown occurs in this situation and one divorces the other it would be hard put your trust into anything, let alone a stranger. If a fire occurs and your children are lost one might think “What is the point of trying to get close to a person after such a tragic incident?”

Whatever the reason for this spreading problem, we have to help these people. We need to show them that it’s O.K. to trust again, O.K. to show their weaknesses, and make them realize that they can still do what they love without getting in trouble with the police every day and without living on the streets. We need to fix shelters so that the homeless can feel more comfortable and once again… feel human. We need to realize that the homeless have emotions as well. We need to promise them something and not abandon it. We need to recognize the homeless.