Ten things to do when you are just out of a job



By Dr Sandeep Kulshrestha

Getting a pink slip is not a very easy thing to handle, especially when you have a family to look after and then the stress occupies your mind. But thankfully you can do a lot of things if you are keen to be grounded and appreciative of people around you and this world. Positive Psychology offers assistance in this regard.  So, you may think of doing the following ten things when you are out of a job




1. Get a personalized domain name for yourself or your blog

Get a personalized domain name for yourself and create a website, with a blog. If you do not possess good writing skills, see various online tips and research on other personal website on the internet. If you can spend a little money, get a professional video done which you can post on your website. These activities would occupy your mind and will also let your creative juices flow. You can write a blog on your hobby/interest and I am sure that everyone has some interest or the other. Use tools like wordpress, blogger etc if creating a blog and there are various other options available for personal website. A personal website can be based on your name eg. jackrichards.com or on your area of interest, say ilovemygarden.com 


2. Get your personal business cards done
Print some simple looking yet smart business cards done for yourself which showcases what you do. Example Jack Richards, writer, blogger and Finance Consultant. You may creatively mention your work experience on the back or front of the card, as per your choice. One example of a smart looking business card is given below. You can proudly showcase your new identity to your friends and business contacts




3. Join a meet-up group
Identify 2-3 meet-up groups in your area through meetup.com, a website which promotes face to face social networking. One group can be related to your professional field and the others can be linked to your interests. If you like to speak, you can be part of international club like toastmasters. So, there can be various avenues and you may even land up in some job!

4. Read simple text on Positive Psychology and apply some thoughts in your life
Positive Psychology is a newer branch of Psychology which is identified as the “science of happiness and wellbeing” and to study the basics and how it can help improve your life and happiness quotient, you may read a book on the subject. The book on Positive Psychology will let you broaden your thinking and vision and you can use this knowledge for various things, including coaching yourself to success, advising people on things like happiness and mindfulness etc. Recommended books can be bought from this link

5. Get attuned to some spiritual group (if you are willing to explore something new)
If you are not too fussy about your own religious belief and would like to explore a different way of being spiritual, you may join a group in your town. Examples include workshops of Abraham-Hicks (of “the law of attraction fame”), Soka Gakkai’s Buddhism practice, Art of Living of Sri Sri RaviShankar, Isha Yoga’s Inner Engineering (you may google any of these for more information, and there are many others). These groups help you to get yourself some motivation, meet new people and as a by-product you may as well feel more happy and content

6. Volunteer for some charity
There are various charitable organizations doing some great work. You may enroll yourself as a volunteer and give some of your free time to do some community fund-raising or to train employees on some skill or any such thing which is of your interest. You can also mention your deeds in your resume and earn respect from a prospective employer

7. Get into a new hobby
All of us already have our respective hobbies or interests which may include gardening, stamp collection, listening to music, watching movies etc. These are all fine but try to get into something new, say doing something which you always wanted to do in your childhood, like for example learning guitar, attempting writing or poetry, jogging, learning homeopathy etc and the list can be endless. A new hobby occupies your mind hence you are a little less worried on the job front

8. Do better budgeting
Taking cue from people like Donald Trump and books like “Rich Dad poor dad”, start taking your financial management more seriously (but don’t brood too much on what you lost etc). Spend around 30 minutes at the start of the week on your planned weekly expenses and mentally figure out about the mandatory expenses, expenses which you can cut and things which you wanted to buy and you will know your answers. If you are a spendthrift, consult your spouse, a friend or your dad/mom and take their opinion (provided they are not spendthrifts themselvesJ). At the end of the week (Sunday evening, maybe) again spend just about 10-15 minutes and figure out where you exceeded. Use some mature judgment and you will be doing a great job!

9. Use social networking sites to showcase yourself
Get yourself online and use social networks like facebook, LinkedIn (you may get some career opportunities as well) and Twitter to either showcase your skills, or to just simply network and make new friends. Write some of your quotes share your beliefs and just be yourself. Read books like “Social networking for dummies” etc and get to know the instant tips for your popularity

10. Join network marketing
Although a lot of people are still skeptical about it, sometimes network marketing makes you get new ideas for yourself. Join a network which is relatively well known and where your investment is bare minimum. Sometimes, it is fun to watch all network marketers getting together in a huge auditorium somewhere in the town and sharing some mesmerizing experiences of making money. Look at it with curiosity rather than ambition to make huge money and you will have lot of new revelations about yourself. There are very few “mainstream” bloggers who would despise network marketing. I do but I don’t.


Have fun being yourself!
 

 

Comments