Dealing With The Stress Of Joblessness

By Madhu Babu

The phase in life when you are jobless is one of the most stressful periods to endure. It turns more difficult if you are not the kind who enjoys being idle. Many people worship their work and many others work with passion. If you fit into these categories, you will find it very difficult to deal with stress of joblessness. Sometimes if you are losing a battle at coming to terms with stress of joblessness, it is important you consult for professional help.

There may be several reasons to lose a job, sometimes these reasons could be beyond your control. Reasons like a market slowdown, mismanagement by seniors, and jealousy at work place leading to your sacking are tough to deal with. Certain studies have proved losing a job is as stressful as losing a dear and loved person in life. No matter what the reason for your joblessness, you must realise this isn't the end of your career or life nor is this a unique case affecting you.

Dealing With The Stress Of Joblessness

There are several self-help guides or other steps to follow for ways to deal with stress of joblessness. It is important not to isolate yourself for being jobless fearing social stigma or uneasy questions when you bump into someone you know. These things happen to a lot of people and isolating yourself or going to depression will not solve the problem. Period of joblessness is the time to start something new, a chance to start over fresh.

Here are ways to deal with stress of joblessness.

Accepting reality is the first step in dealing with joblessness. You have to move on from grieving and dwelling on your job loss sooner than later. What has happened cannot be reversed.

Mistake most people do while going through phase of joblessness is blaming and lamenting themselves for the loss. If a reason for the loss of job is unrelated to you, it is time to move forward.

There is always something to learn from everything in this universe. Loss of job can be turned into a boon if you are willing to learn from the experience of going through it.

Social stigma associated with losing a job in most societies make some isolate themselves and run into depression. You must rather stay close to loved ones and take their support in dealing with the stress of joblessness.

If you find it hard to deal with the stress of joblessness, you could always talk to someone you know who has gone through the same in their life. You could get some handy tips and ways to deal with it.

There are lots of clubs and groups that bring together fellow people who are going through the same experience. You can enroll and join them to deal with the stress in a group rather than through isolation.

Try to keep yourself busy with planning your next phase in career, preparing and attending interview, exploring new idea or sometimes going on a vacation to exploit the void can be help.

Since you no longer have to meet the deadlines and stress of being in job, you must now take time to rest. Start by having more than adequate sleep to rejuvenate yourself.

Staying positive during the phase of joblessness is very important. Since this is in no way the end of the world, you must stay positive and optimistic about your future.

Best way to beat the stress is diversion. As you are gifted the no-string-free-time you could not have availed during your working days, utilise it to the max. Eat healthy and enjoy the smaller things you always wanted but could not.

Story first published: Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 10:23 [IST]
Read more about: work life