The Trouble with Being Unemployed

The trouble with being unemployed, besides the money part, is that it's harder to make sure everything that should get done, gets done. Without a looming deadline or an incredibly busy day ahead of you, it's hard to motivate yourself to do those things that you don't want to do because, well, there's literally always later, since you're schedule is so wide open. I was always best under pressure. The more things I have to do, the more reliable I am at doing them.

This, for me, means I don't get nearly enough done while in the doldrums of unemployment. I mean, I don't even have a weekly planner anymore, and I used to live and breathe by my planner.

So, today, while I was driving in Weymouth, on my way to do laundry, I stopped at the CVS (one of 1783 pharmacies located in Weymouth) and purchased 1) some red hair dye, since mine has gone down to strawberry blonde and I'm in need of a perk and 2) a weekly planner.

I filled it up with all the things I have to do this week and will feel so lovely when I can cross things off. Conversely, I'm hoping it makes me feel icky about things I did not get done. It's a way to psyche myself into feeling like there isn't a seemingly endless plot of time throughout my week, even though there certainly is.

The other thing I noticed was that if I didn't wake up and drink two cups of coffee, take my multivitamins and go for a walk as soon as I was up, I woulnd't really be totally "up". I'd sit in bed and try to read or write but just end up falling in and out of sleep. Must get up and get going as soon as I'm awake.

I wonder how many other people out there are like me -- just lost without the regimen of a very busy schedule? I'm sure I'm not alone. I'll tell you what though. This unemployment thing is way way way old. And there isn't a library clerk position to be had on the job board. Not a one.

I'm so hard up for a job, I'm starting to consider terrible things, like copy editing and writing again. Eek.

What about you? Do you think you'd be able to psyche yourself into being busy & motivated if you were this free?