Unemployed & Quarantined - How to make the most of your time at home

Along with over 4 million Americans, I unfortunately was laid off last month from my Public Relations job at the Hoffman Agency. While the news came as a bit of a shock to me, I foresaw what was coming when the company's President randomly private messaged me via Skype on a busy Tuesday morning.

Losing a job can be extremely disheartening, regardless of the circumstances, and it's easy to start using self-blame to justify this. Could I have worked harder? Did my colleagues not like me? Was I not considered a valuable asset to the company? These are the questions I pondered when I was one of five individuals let go in an agency with 40 employees, many whom had been there for far less time than me. However, I came to the realization that this is quite simply an unprecedented time and organizations are having to make difficult decisions to stay afloat. More importantly, I needed to stop dwelling on the past and start thinking about my future. God has given me an opportunity to seek a new path which may end up being much more enjoyable.

However, now that I’m both unemployed and stuck in mandatory quarantine until at least the end of May, I’ve found that it’s easy to get unmotivated to do anything. It doesn’t help that I’ve sent a couple dozen emails with my resume to potential employers only to hear that they are currently on a hiring freeze because of COVID or simply don’t respond. As frustrating as living in this time is, I think it’s important to continue social distancing, yet not socially isolate. Below I’ve provided a few insights I’ve gained from being both unemployed and quarantined which I encourage everyone to at least attempt:

Create a daily schedule

The days all seem to blend together now that we’re spending so much time trapped in our abodes and it can be easy to get in the routine of waking up late, watching TV, or spending hours scrolling through social media and news stories hoping that an article magically pops up that informs us the lock down has been lifted and we can live our lives the way they should be as occurred before the pandemic. Unfortunately, this isn’t a realistic way to live right now.

Instead, create a schedule to allow yourself time to not only job search, but also exercise, catch up on your favorite show, work on home improvement projects and catch up with friends and family via Zoom. For instance, I usually spend a couple of hours in the morning watching TV, but then I quickly transition to a couple of hours job searching. In addition, I dedicate time to help out my dad with home improvement projects, watch Facebook live exercise classes and take a walk around my neighborhood or the local park. While we can’t mimic exactly how we did life prior to quarantine, we can certainly do our best by making clear cut schedules for ourselves

Don’t be afraid to reconnect with folks you haven’t in awhile

I’ve always been somewhat hesitant to reach out to friends and acquaintances I haven’t in a long time, fearing the awkward nature that conversation may foster. However, there is no better time to reconnect then now while everyone’s schedules are more open than usual and we’re all suffering in a somewhat similar fashion. Who knows, it may even lead to a professional connection to land you your next job! Most of us are seeking company right now as we socially distance, so why not leverage it to chat with those who you haven’t seen lately? Worst case, they ignore you – not any different than it already is :).

Sheltering-at-home doesn’t mean doing so 24/7

While I acknowledge that sheltering-in-place implies never leaving the house, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. It’s still okay to venture out to your local park and take a hike, throw a Frisbee around, suntan, or just people watch (at a distance of course). I’m blessed to live in sunny California and I take advantage of good weather whenever it happens.

In addition, people shouldn’t be afraid to still meet up in person 1:1, so long as they keep their six-feet of distance. My girlfriend and I have sacrificed our physical intimacy for the sake of the greater good, yet still meet up a couple times a week which I believe is perfectly safe. The main point I’m trying to make is don’t sacrifice your mental wellness during quarantine by socially isolating yourself. Be intentional about connecting with others, whether it be in-person at a distance, or virtually.