Sunny Health

Unemployment without reliable source of alternative income is a state of life that most would dread to find themselves in. Nonetheless, that does not mean that you should sulk and gripe and get all anxious at finding a new job, because you may well worsen your situation.

According to an ongoing health and retirement survey partly sponsored by the National Institute on Aging in the US, joblessness has been linked with heart attacks in older workers. Multiple job losses can be as threatening as smoking, high blood pressure and other related heart problems. The rationale is that the worry and anxiety that comes with the loss of jobs and income creates stress for the heart. With rising health care costs and the world economy still in the doldrums, health problems stemming from unemployment may become a serious and prevalent problem.

Medical bills are the last thing you want to add on to your situation, so chin up! Here are some ideas on keeping your spirits up as the search for a new job goes on.

Continue your usual routine

This means no waking up in the middle of the day or lounging around in smelly pajamas. Do what you did while you had a work schedule to keep to. Get up early in the morning, go for a jog, take a shower and have a hearty breakfast. Consider this as one of the benefits of your current predicament – having the luxury of time to get your life in order, eat healthily and exercise. Then go about with your job hunting. Do also take some time out to do some chores; relief your spouse of some housework and make yourself feel useful. Set aside some time to do something constructive and significant to your field of work to keep abreast with times, such as reading up on relevant issues.

Upgrade your skills

If you have savings, upgrade your skills to boost your value, or even learn new skills to make a career change. WDA has many subsidized schemes, while UniSIM has a variety of post-graduate courses with flexible timings that you may continue with even after you’ve regained employment. You can even head to your nearest community centre to inquire about courses that you always wanted to do but never found time to.

Have fun

Don’t feel guilty because you’re unemployed. Like everyone else, you deserve some entertainment after a day of job seeking. Reward yourself for dutifully writing and rewriting your resume for different employers. Watch television, view some funny youtube videos, play with the children (if you have them), take a walk in the park, go out on a date with the other half to the supermarket… There are lots you can do to keep the depression bug away without spending a lot.

Exercise

Long hours of staying at home can cause you to feel lethargic. Your body also requires sufficient exposure to the morning sun or you will lack Vitamin D. Jog around your estate, go to the gym. Exercise relieves stress and motivates you while keeping you in good shape.

Turn to family and friends for support

Singaporeans, especially the Chinese, tend to associate unemployment with shame and having ‘no face’, which is really an undesirable mentality. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen a drama show a dejected man who just got fired, acting as though everything is savvy in front of his family members and even staying out the whole day. The really wise thing to do is to come clean with your family, and start budgeting and making plans for a tighter wallet. This is also a good chance to instill in your children the importance of saving for a rainy day.

Keep in touch with your friends; they may have job opportunities for you. Consider going online to seek support from local self-help groups. There’s bound to be a suitable Facebook group out there to join. Seek camaraderie. Ask for recommendations. Let off some steam by sharing your problems. But don’t whine continuously about your misfortune. Negative thoughts are a waste of time.

Volunteer

Spend some time helping the less fortunate. This will give you something meaningful to while your time away with. In addition, when you compare their problems to yours, you’ll put things in perspective and feel that unemployment is nothing to get worked up about.

Sell things you don’t need

Give your house a good tidying up. Compile the things you don’t need, and list them for sale on Ebay, or rent a flea market stall to hawk them. There are lots of flea markets held all over Singapore over the weekends that come with affordable rental fees. This may bring in extra income while you do something productive.

Remember, when your mental and physical health are in good shape, you'll be able to tackle those interviews more easily!