How to Stay Healthy When In Between Jobs
Being out of work is never ideal. Dealing with a loss of income can be incredibly stressful, and even with more free time on your hands, staying physically fit can be difficult due to lack of motivation. It can often feel like you are stuck in a rut, and that you’ll never find work again. This is dangerous, because it feeds a cycle of depression that can keep you from achieving your goals, both in your personal and professional life.
Staying mentally and physically healthy while looking for a new job can be difficult, but it is not impossible. It is incredibly important to take care of yourself, even when it seems that nothing can be done. Here are some reasons why maintaining your health is important, how you can do it, and what to look for in a new work environment to stay healthy.
Stress Hurts You in Many Ways
When searching for a new job, it is often easy to overlook your mental health. You are running around sending in applications, looking for open positions, and doing interviews, all the while watching your bank account dwindle away. This is obviously a huge stressor, which can lead to depression and anxiety, making your job search even more difficult.
Beyond just the emotional and mental effects of being subjected to near-constant stress, it can affect you physically as well. Stress has been linked to many physical ailments including chest pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. The cortisol produced by your body when under stress can also reduce the effectiveness of your immune system, reducing your overall health and making it more likely that you will fall ill.
Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with the stresses of finding a new job to keep yourself healthy. Meditation, yoga, and mindfulness practices all have a soothing effect and give you back control over your life for a moment. Physical activity and exercise are also great ways to manage stress levels. By allowing your body release endorphins and focusing your thoughts on an achievable goal, exercise can help put your mind and body back in the right place.
Dealing With a Work-Related Injury
If the reason that you have to find new employment is because of a work-related injury, there are many steps you can take to alleviate the financial stress of not having a steady income. First and foremost, you should look into worker’s compensation laws in your state and familiarize yourself with the process of obtaining worker’s compensation. Generally this has to be done quickly after your injury has occurred, and it is important to document all facets of the injury and what caused it.
If worker’s compensation isn’t available to you due to state laws or company bylaws, and the injury was caused by employer negligence, you can consider suing for compensation. While this is certainly a way to obtain some financial security, it can lead to even more stress being put upon you. Dealing with the slow-moving court system and going up against corporate lawyers while having no actual guarantee that you’ll come away with anything can make anyone feel hopeless.
One thing that is incredibly important to avoid is self-medication or abuse of prescribed medication. This is shockingly common among those that have lost work due to work-related injuries, and people who do end up abusing illicit or prescribed substances are often unable to recognize the onset of addiction. Anxiety due to unemployment and substance addiction can fuel each other, and it is important that if you are struggling that you reach out for help in order to stop the cycle.
Health Focused Work
Finally, when searching for a new job, try to prioritize your health when looking at new employers. A high salary or hourly wage can certainly sound appealing, as more revenue can help to relieve a whole host of other issues. That being said, if the job you’re seeking pays well, but works you long hours or the work involved is high-stress, you may just negate the benefits of having higher pay.
Happiness at work has a direct correlation with your mental health, and making sure that you’re happy at your job will help you to be happy in other areas of your life as well. While the old saying, “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” is a bit optimistic, it does contain a grain of truth. If you’re happy at your work, you’ll be more productive and less likely to move on to a different profession.
They say that people change careers an average of five times in their working life, so why not take a chance at something new? While unemployment is of course stressful, it does open up some new opportunities for personal expansion. You can try your hand at being an entrepreneur and decide your own schedule and exactly what you will do for a living, or follow your dreams whatever they may be. Whether its going back to school, or trying stand-up comedy, or even writing a book, prioritizing your happiness and mental health going forward is sound advice.
