Anyone else Unemployed?

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sarahliftsUP
sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
in Motivation and Support
I was working a decent job since June and knew that it was only a seasonal position. I have been unemployed since the middle of December but it seems to be just hitting me now. I think the excitement of the holidays and seeing my friends and family distracted me. Now the holidays are over and I'm feeling pretty down.

I still have a part time job which keeps me busy for about 15 hours a week and plus I babysit two nights a week. It's just so easy in the daytime to snack, sleep in, put off work outs, etc. I'm worried that I'm going to get into a lazy pattern. Are any of you laid off and how have you kept your goals? What would you suggest that I do or don't do? Plus this lack of income has put stress on me for bills too. I just don't want to get stuck in a rut.

Replies

  • bethvandenberg
    bethvandenberg Posts: 1,496 Member
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    I'm in your boat...
    So literally I just sit here and then say to myself, get up Beth, get the workout done. Then I also put a list of things that need to get done daily and just get after it. Plus I try to do a project a week. Filing, clean the closet, etc. :)
    I'm thinking that when I go back to work I'm going to be bummed that I didn't get it done.
    Good luck
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
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    Being completely unemployed (I quit my job) for 6 months is what made me gain weight (18-20 pounds) and how I found MFP. I had no idea how much I was sitting around and sitting on the computer searching for jobs and snacking. The second I stepped on the scale and saw the gain, I hit the ground running and lost 27 pounds in 5 months. A different situation definitely, but just keep working out, logging what you eat and try and be more active in general. I worked out about 2 hours a day when unemployed so that I didn't get in the habit of just lounging around...and so I didn't have to buy any more interview suits:smile:

    Good luck!
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
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    Make lists of tasks you have to do every day. No matter how mundane and simple the tasks may seem, it'll make you feel better about getting stuff done around the house and not get you into a funk. Do something you've been meaning to do for a long time that you kept putting off because it was too much of a project - i.e. organize your files, shred old bank statements or paint a room.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    I'm a stay at home mom, so while I don't know what it's like to sleep in I do understand how easy it is to snack all the time. And since I'm still getting over a cold that turned into a sinus infection (it's been weeks since I last went to the gym) I'm feeling super lazy. But I'm just not 100% and I really don't want to spread any germs, if I have them. The kids do keep me busy but there are a few hours in the middle of the day when they're napping that I just get bored and feel like eating nonstop. I just try to stay busy with housework and try to keep my mind occupied so I don't end up eating when I don't need to.
  • kuteinfaync
    kuteinfaync Posts: 33
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    I've been unemployment since last march! due to pregnancy I was 178 in december and has since got down to 151. I have more time to exercise! Sometimes I got to the mall and walk. I treat myself to a diet soda if I do and buy something if its on sale. I sure do get bored being home all the time to and sometimes depressed
  • watkinsc
    watkinsc Posts: 177 Member
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    I work 3 days a week, so I am off 4. On the days I am home, I try to have a focus. Today was my bathroom, scrubbed clean, all windows, mirrors, you name it I deep cleaned it. I used to be a stay at home mom, I did the same thing then too. I don't clean every day like that, other days the focus is taking the dog for a long hike or something like that. Even if your focus only keeps you really busy for 2 to 3 hours, it seems to aleviate the boredom and the absent-minded eatting that goes along with it. Plus the tasks come with instant gradification of a job well done. Good luck dear! =
  • HeadbanditAsh
    HeadbanditAsh Posts: 17 Member
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    I just graduated from college almost a month ago with an undergraduate liberal arts degree, meaning I'm currently unemployed and might be for quite a while! It's so easy for me to laze around and take random naps during the day, but I try to fight the urge by treating the things I need to do for the day as a job. I try to set aside (at least) six hours to do certain things on my list, like exercise, track my calories, job searching and more. The hilarious thing in my case is that being away from school is helping me lose weight since I'm not surrounded by unhealthy foods and dealing with "scholastic stressors." Hopefully we can all keep our chins (while losing them) and stay active!
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    Is there a local community college close that offer adult education or continued education courses? Take some classes online. Get involved in a hobby. Find some place local to do some volunteer work. Go for a walk, window shop.

    I am currently unemployed and finished some computer related classes and now I am prepping for the certification tests. There is also a computer education center that I can go to and volunteer when I have time. My guy's office occasionally call me to help them with computer problems...not paid, but I do get lunch out of it! :tongue: Stuff like that keep me busy and give me the opportunity to get out and about.
  • Wendles0380
    Wendles0380 Posts: 4
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    I had to leave my job 18 months ago due to illness and depression (my boss was a bully). I ended up house bound for a while which then turned into agoraphobia. I found that I didn't eat during the day but would stuff myself when I cooked for my partner. On really bad days I would binge eat junk food and then hide the wrappers so my partner wouldn't find out. I had put on 4 stone by the time I actually weighed myself in October. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut. My advice would be to make a list every night of things you need to get done, prioritise and set a time limit for each task but don't punish yourself if you miss one. Make a new list every day even if you are carrying jobs over, it keeps it fresh and makes you feel more organised. Put some sort of exercise on as a daily task and keep a food diary too. Also remember to allow time for relaxing and seeing friends, but my biggest piece of advice would be to leave the house every day, even if its only to walk around the block. If you are still struggling then find a hobby that uses your hands, I started making cards and painting and discovered that I'm really good at it. I now sell some of the cards and the occasional painting but its still just a hobby (it'll become a chore if I put pressure on myself). I'm only just well enough to start working again and have started looking for work but its gonna be hard because I don't want to go back to what I was doing and the job market in the UK is really bad at the minute. I'm lucky because my partner earns a good wage so the financial side isn't a huge issue but for my confidence and mental health I need a job so I can socialise and stop talking to myself and my plants!
  • profjan6
    profjan6 Posts: 333
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    Kind of, sort of. I was let go from a great full time job last June. Due to budget cuts my entire program was shut down and we all lost our jobs. Anyway, I still work 2 part time jobs. Keeps me semi-busy but the money isn't what it used to be! I should be glad for what I have. The time at home is interesting. I have always worked, even when my kids were little. I am kind of enjoying some free time. I, too, thought I would use the time to get into great shape and exercise and eat right, etc. Not so much....I would like to get going with this....I keep finding excuses to eat the bad stuff. Might be good to have contact with others going through the same stuff. I welcome it!
  • mirahonthawall
    mirahonthawall Posts: 236 Member
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    i've been unemployed for about 2 months now, collecting employment insurance. at first i was happy to have a break, but now i'm feeling useless, like my 8 years of university and two undergraduate degrees mean nothing. i've been in a rut since the new year because i've been applying to jobs since the day i was laid off and i haven't received one phone call. i lack real work experience (other than my placements i had to do in school), and these days all the good jobs in my field require a masters, which you need work experience for, blah blah blah. i actually bawled yesterday because i was convinced my life is going nowhere.

    when i was working my seasonal job (which had nothing to do with my actual career aspirations), i was eating fast food every day, sometimes twice a day! after i was laid off, i was sitting on the couch realizing what i have been doing to my body for nearly 4 months, and decided to get my *kitten* in gear. started doing a little research and got into my fitness and nutrition plan, and here i am.

    i know if i keep applying for jobs, something will come around soon. i have about 4 months left on EI so i'm not completely stuck without any money. i'm just taking this time to get fit again, because i'm pretty sure 2011 is my year!

    it's all of ours <3
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
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    Thanks for all of the feedback guys! It's nice to know I'm not the only one is this situation. I really like the idea of making lists.. there are so many little tedious things I need to get done and I think making a list would help me focus.

    Hopefully this isn't a long term thing for any of us.

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