Posted by on Feb 2, 2013 in Career Insights | 0 questions

Unemployment is a scary time for many, because with loss of income comes a whole realm of problems that can be quite scary and overwhelming. Being fired or loosing a job can also promote feeling of inadequacy in your skills or abilities.

However, with the right mindset, you can transform a negative experience into something positive, or at least, less scary and overwhelming. The key to this approach is to take the time away from work as a learning period to hone current skills and make yourself more marketable to future employees while you look for a new job.

Learn something new

If you are suddenly unemployed, the urge to sit and mope can be strong. However, if you spend this period in depression or cooped up in your house, you could be missing out on opportunities that can lead to a better position in the future.

Learning something new is a great way to get outside yourself and experience new things. You do not have to learn anything work related; just look for something that catches your interest. If you have always wanted to learn something, like a new language, unemployment is the perfect time to fill those empty hours with useful occupation.

Work on personal projects and hobbies

If you have a special hobby, like restoring an old vehicle or sewing, periods of unemployment do not have to feel depressing. Use some of your time off to really enjoy and experience your hobby or personal project. This will not only allow you to spend time on something you really love, but it will distract you from thinking too much about your unemployed status.

Spend time with family

Family is important, but work often gets in the way of fostering family relationships. While you are unemployed, take time to visit your family, even if they live far away. When you do not have to report to a job, your schedule is free to spend time with the people that you really love and care for in life. You could even plan a special vacation trip with your family to an exciting destination.

Take a class

A time of unemployment is the ideal time to take a class or go back to school to obtain further certifications or a new degree. Perhaps you always wanted to try a different career path, but never had time to return to school.

A time of unemployment is ideal for taking new classes and returning to school. In some cases, the government may even help pay for your return to school. These government funded courses pay for the classes required for certain eligible degree plans.

Unemployment does not have to be scary or depressing. With the right mindset, unemployment is simply a new opportunity to improve and shape your life. With so many unemployment options out there, you may soon find that you do not think of your old job at all. Keeping busy during unemployment is beneficial in many ways, including mentally, physically, socially, and many others.

This article was written by Kate Simmons, a freelance journalist and blogger on business-related news, management techniques and topics related to self-development.