What to do when there is nothing to do

So there’s this thing, this thing that I really really dislike.  So much in fact, that I don’t really even want to blog about it.  However, I hope that in swallowing my pride, fear, or whatever it is that is keeping me from wanting to talk about this “thing,” I’ll be able to find some way to deal with it.

Ok, enough being vague.  The thing=unemployment. (Cue the groan of frustration.) Unemployment, the one part of life after graduation that no one wants to talk about.  Graduation is such a doubled-edged sword.  You graduate with all the pomp and circumstance and then BAM, welcome to a life of no income and essentially, nothing to do.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned to our primary class (a group of 6-year-olds) that I was currently jobless.  “Tell your parents,” I said, thinking about possible babysitting opportunities.  And they wasted no time, let me tell you.  The first thing they said when their parents picked them up at the end of class? “She’s unemployed.”  It somehow sounded worse hearing it come from their innocent little mouths, and I found myself stumbling over my words, trying desperately to explain, “It’s because I just graduated, and BYU doesn’t let you keep your job after graduation.”  Of course their parents then asked me what I graduated in, and as soon as I said American Studies, they smiled, nodded slightly, and wished me luck. (I get that alot.)

Now let me defend my major a bit.  While yes, American Studies is not a major that funnels me neatly into a particular field of employment, my unemployed status has less to do with my major, and more to do with the fact that Andrew and I will only be in Provo until the beginning of August, and no one wants an employee for only 3 months.

This leads me to the title of my post.  At my previous job as a secretary for the College of Fine Arts and Communications, there was a page in our handbook entitled “What to do when there is nothing to do.”  The idea was that even when the office was slow, we could always find something to do to keep working.  It’s a wonderful idea, but sometimes hard to put into practice.  Since my current situation has left me with plenty of “extra” time, I have decided to compile my own list of “What to do when there is nothing to do--aka What to do when you’re unemployed.”  It’s my hope that, unemployed or not, everyone can gain something from my ideas.

“What to do when there is nothing to do”:

1.  Wake up early--Yes, your new status allows you to sleep in as late as you want, but don’t take too much advantage of that.  The later you sleep in, the harder it becomes to make something productive of your day.  Trust me, I speak from experience.

2.  Shower and actually get ready--Even if your plan for the day is just to sit on the couch and apply for jobs online, get up, shower, and actually get dressed to look your best.  It’s amazing the difference it makes in both your attitude and your motivation.  Remember, as Dolly in Hello Dolly! sings, “There’s no blue Monday in your Sunday clothes.”  The woman speaks the truth.

3.  Eat healthy--For me it has been so tempting to eat nothing but bowl of cereal after bowl of cereal all day, every day.  As good as Honey Comb tastes, however, it does not give me nearly enough energy to get things done.  What was it that our parents always told us?  Don’t be a fool, nutrition is cool.

4.  Don’t give up hope--Some days will be better than others.  Some days you’ll get two interviews and both will seem to go really well. Other days you’ll show up to an interview and it will turn out to be in a shady basement and your interviewer will be wearing house-slippers (yes that happened...one of the reasons to be wary of Craigslist.)  The thing to take away though--it will be ok.  You’ll find the job you need, and God will take care of you in the meantime.  Just do your best, and God will do the rest.

5.  Learn to relax productively--Let’s be honest, there are only so many hours a day you can spend applying to jobs before you go crazy.  Learn to take breaks.  Productive breaks.  Go outside, go for a run, a walk, read, drive to Target and walk around (though that might not be the best idea when you don’t have an income), develop a talent.  It’s amazing the things you can get done that will be both productive and enjoyable.

All this being said, writing this list is one thing, putting it into practice is another.  I think this post has mostly been for myself, actually writing down the way I want to spend my time.  I’ll end it with some good news.  While I have yet to find a permanent position, I have been hired by a family in our ward as a nanny for a few weeks.  It’s a great blessing, and I’m excited to get started.  Let’s hope it will lead to other opportunities, as part time as they may be.  I guess telling our primary class was a good idea afterall.  That’s networking for you.

Many thanks to my six-year-old saviors.