Experiencing a period of time away from work isn’t unusual. There are various reasons it might happen, whether you’ve lost your job or you’re out of work due to illness or injury. It can be a worrying time, especially if you don’t have any or much income. You might be desperate to get back to work as soon as you can, and everything can feel very stressful. But there are things you can do if you want to manage this period in a healthy way and achieve your goals. Use this guide to stay motivated and handle being at home in a smart way.
Allow Yourself to Rest
Seeing time off work as a positive isn’t always easy when it affects you financially. However, it can be a good opportunity to get some much-needed rest. When you do go back to work, you can do so feeling refreshed and happier about your circumstances. It’s especially important to allow yourself to rest if you’re off work due to illness, burnout, or injury. You need to give your body and mind time to recover, and pushing yourself too hard could mean it actually takes you longer to get back to work. Don’t feel you have to spend all of your time forcing yourself to get back to work ASAP.
Make a Plan to Get Back to Work (Or Not)
Any stressful situation can feel much easier to handle when you have a plan in place. Creating a plan to get back to work can help you to motivate yourself with goals and tasks to complete. If you still have a job, your plan might focus on how you’re going to be in a better place to feel able to go back to work. If you’re currently out of work, it’s going to be more focused on finding your next job. Of course, not everyone may be able to return to work or feel like they want to. You might consider other options like applying for disability benefits or retirement.
Take Care of Your Finances
Money worries can definitely dominate your thoughts when you’re not working. In some circumstances, you might still have an income, even if it’s not your full pay. At other times, you could have savings to support you, or unemployment benefits. It might be helpful to explore other ways to increase your income or savings. After an accident on the road, a truck accident lawyer could help to ensure you can cover the costs of being out of work. There might be support payments you’re eligible for, or you might consider looking for some temporary work until you’re able to get back into work full-time.
Use the Opportunity for Some Training
Having the option to use your days flexibly can give you the perfect opportunity for some training and education. It can be hard to find the time and energy to improve yourself while you’re working but it could be a lot easier when you’re not currently in work. It’s also a great way to stay busy and provide some structure to your day. You could grow your skills to help you find a better job or perhaps even consider retraining to enter a different career. It could be a good chance to improve your circumstances.
Update Your Resume
When was the last time you updated your resume? It’s something you probably don’t think about when you’re working, but it obviously makes sense to update it when you’re looking for a new job. But rather than simply adding your last job onto your existing resume, it might be a good idea to take a thorough look at it. Some people even take advantage of resume writing services that help them to ensure they have the best resume for the roles that they want.
Volunteer
Some people struggle with not being busy. They like to have some structure and would prefer to be at work than to be at home. But if you can’t find the right job at the moment, or you’re not ready to go back to work, you might consider volunteering instead. It’s a good way to fill a gap in your resume, meet new people, make use of existing skills, and build new skills too. Plus, volunteering is a chance to do something good. You might even decide to continue in some capacity once you go back to work.
Be Social
It’s easy to get stuck at home when you’re not at work, especially if you’re determined to find a new job as soon as possible. But it’s not a good idea to isolate yourself or even look for work full-time. Instead, you should make sure you’re using some of your time to get out and see friends and family. Not only is it good for your mental health and happiness, but it could also help you to find work opportunities. You never know if someone might give you a tip-off about a job or even recommend you for a position, or give you some useful advice.
Practice Your Interview Technique
Interviews can be the hardest part of looking for work for many people. So spending some time practicing your interview technique could help you to improve and feel more confident. In fact, it could even be useful to accept interviews for roles you don’t particularly want. If you don’t care about whether you get them or not, it gives you a chance to hone your skills without worrying about it too much.
Deal with Your Feelings
Being out of work can be stressful and raise a lot of negative feelings. One of the most important things to do is to make sure you’re addressing these feelings. Speak to someone if you can, whether it’s a therapist, a friend or a relative who can listen to you. Consider writing down your thoughts or find ways to deal with stress while you’re out of work.
It’s tough to be out of work, but it can also present opportunities to improve things for yourself if you do it right.
