Why Being Unemployed Ruins You And How To Stop It

If you’ve been on the job hunt for months, you’re not alone.

Last month, 2.7 million people in the U.S. were jobless for 27 weeks or more, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

It’s a tough market. Don’t spend too much time waiting for the hiring manager to call or for your dream job to magically appear. The longer you remain unemployed, the more you’re hurting your chances of achieving your career goals. Here’s why:

Being Unemployed Alters Your Personality

A new study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology last month found being unemployed decreases core personality traits essential for positive job performance.

Researchers found an average decrease in conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness among unemployed participants.

Conscientiousness decreased in men the longer they remained unemployed, but increased in women near the beginning and end of unemployment. Researchers theorized women may have pursued endeavors unrelated to work such as caregiving during those times, which increased conscientiousness.

How To Save Your Sanity During Unemployment

If the theory is correct, we might be onto something that can help retain our core traits during transitional times. Here are a few ideas:

1. Stick to a routine.

Develop a daily routine you can stick to during the workweek that will keep you feeling busy and productive. Take up a hobby that meets regularly on Tuesday mornings, or visit your favorite coffee shop for lunch each Friday. Try to eat meals and accomplish major tasks around the same time each day to give you a feeling of structure.

Within that framework, designate a time for a specific part of your job search each day. For example, two hours of job search time can be broken up into the following: an hour for researching job postings, 30 minutes for emailing hiring managers, and 30 minutes for updating your LinkedIn profile.

2. Hang out with successful people.

Without realizing it, you probably pick up the habits of your closest friends. It’s as natural as the tendency to make friends with others who are like us, a phenomenon known as homophily.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” business philosopher Jim Rohn said in his famous The Law Of Average talk.

Take a look at the success and habits of your friends. If they’re not doing so well, maybe it’s time to make some new friends who will inspire and motivate you. Think of your most successful acquaintances and invite them out for coffee to pick their brain for ideas that might help your job search.

3. Exercise daily.

As we exercise and the pressure on our heart increases, our brain thinks we’re fighting or fleeing from an enemy. It releases hormones like BNDF and serotonin, which repair memory and minimize discomfort, writes Leo Widrich in a recent article published on Fast Company. Exercise helps mitigate the damaging effects of joblessness by helping us maintain a happy, clear head.

Make regular exercise a daily part of your routine. If you have to, search for jobs on your phone or tablet while walking on a treadmill. Go on a lunchtime run to help pull yourself out of a mid-day slump.

4. Accept an “interim” job.

Considering the damage unemployment can do to your confidence and other core traits, you might want to get out of the unemployment pool ASAP...even if it means accepting a temporary job. Taking an interim job as you search for your dream job will help you retain confidence, keep your soft skills fresh, and put some money in your wallet.

5. Volunteer at a non-profit.

While working for free might be less than ideal, it will help provide you with many of the same benefits of a paid job. You’ll get to help others, meet new people, and expand your network. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone while volunteering who could lead you to your dream job.

Managing the unemployment slump is no easy feat. While in transition, keep yourself open to new opportunities and use self-discipline to help push through, even when there’s no clear destination in sight. Just keep busy, maintain good company, and you’ll make it out soon enough.

About Ilya Pozin:

Serial entrepreneur, writer and investor. Founder of Pluto TV, Open Me, and Ciplex. Writer for Forbes and Inc. Husband 1x, father 2x, entrepreneur 3x. Follow Ilya below to stay up-to-date.