It can be difficult to take care of your physical and mental health during a period of unemployment. It’s a time when your self-esteem can be very fragile, making it difficult to motivate yourself to do even the simplest of tasks.

However, if you take some steps to improve your well-being, you’ll increase your chances of being offered a new job. Here are some easy ways to take care of yourself during this time of uncertainty and vulnerability.

Set Yourself Daily Goals

If you don’t have a job to go to, it’s very easy to feel like there’s no reason to get up in the morning. This can lead to daily lie-ins and a feeling of hopelessness and depression, which in turn will result in demotivation and a lack of enthusiasm. This state of mind won’t help you find a new job.

It’s therefore important to set yourself some goals every day. Write down your goals for the next day before you go to bed, so that your day will have a structure.

Set your alarm clock for the time that you’d normally get up for work. When it rings, get up, have a shower, get dressed and eat your breakfast. In short, do everything you’d normally do before going to work. This should put in you in a positive frame of mind for the day ahead.

After breakfast, start working through your list of goals. Delete each goal from the list as soon as you’ve achieved it. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and you’ll feel you’re doing something useful with your time.

Each week be sure that some of your goals, include:

• job seeking tasks, such as looking for and applying for jobs, following up applications, and contacting recruiters
• activities that are good for you, including going outside in the fresh air, doing some exercise, and preparing healthy, nutritious meals
• hobbies and other leisure activities you enjoy.

Look for inexpensive or free activities that may help you to find a new job in the longer term. Why not improve your computer skills at a local college or enroll on an online language learning course?

It’s important to schedule some time to do some things you enjoy every day. When I was unemployed, I sometimes felt guilty about doing this but, once I’d started a new job, I wished I’d made better use of my free time. So, don’t feel guilty about devoting some time to enjoyable activities once you’ve completed all the job-seeking tasks on your list.

If you take some time to do things you enjoy, you’ll feel happier and this will help you feel more motivated to find a job AND make you a more attractive job candidate.

Go Out, Exercise, and Meet People

Although it can be tempting to stay at home all day every day, plan to go out at least once a day. If you stay indoors all the time, you’re much more likely to feel depressed and demoralized.

When I was out of work, I avoided going to shopping malls, as I thought I’d be tempted to spend more money than I could afford. Instead, I went to places where I knew I wouldn’t spend much, or any, money.

The local library is a good place to go. You can look for jobs online and read or borrow some books or magazines without spending any money. If the weather is fine, why not take your lunch with you and eat it outside?

While you’re out, do some moderate exercise, whether it’s an uphill walk or a jog in the park. The exercise will encourage your brain to release endorphins, improving your mood and putting you in a much more positive frame of mind when you return home.

Although you might feel as if you don’t want to see your friends while you’re out of work, having regular contact with other people is good for you. It may be a challenge to meet friends who are at work during the day and to find the money to socialize, but there is always a way. I used to meet a friend for a picnic lunch in the park and invite another friend round for coffee after she finished work.

If it’s difficult to see your friends, consider joining a local networking or support group for job seekers. There, you’ll meet other people who are in the same situation as you and you’ll feel less alone. It can be therapeutic just to talk to others who are facing the same challenges as you. You may also be inspired by other people’s job-seeking ideas and this may encourage you to pursue opportunities you’d never even thought of before! If you don’t know of any, consider starting one, read the interview with John Fugazzie to hear how he started Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Eat Well

Although you may not be able to afford to eat out or buy take-out dinners, you do have more time to plan and prepare your meals. Take this opportunity to learn to cook healthy meals using fresh ingredients.

Look for recipes with affordable ingredients, such as:

• ground beef
• onions
• canned tomatoes
• eggs
• sausages.

Why not whip up a tasty omelette for lunch or prepare a steaming bowl of chilli con carne for dinner?

While unemployed, I challenged myself to cook healthy meals at the lowest cost possible. I set myself a budget for buying the ingredients and took as much time as I needed to wander around the local markets and stores to find the lowest prices possible. It felt good to have a daily challenge!

I also found cooking therapeutic. Chopping, stirring and simmering ingredients is a mindful activity that takes your mind off your worries.

Do Some Voluntary Work

Although it may be difficult to find paid employment at the moment, it should be easy to find some voluntary work. From animal shelters to food banks, organizations of all kinds are looking for people who are willing to volunteer their services.

Look for a local organization that interests you and ask if you could volunteer. You may be able to use your skills and keep them up to date in a voluntary position.

A voluntary position can also teach you new skills and it may lead to a paid position. Even if that doesn’t happen, doing voluntary work will:

• improve your self-esteem
• expand your network of contacts
• give you a reason to go out on the days you’re volunteering
• help you maintain a positive attitude.

Try to Stay Positive

With a positive attitude, you’ll feel more motivated to look for work and other opportunities. It’s not always easy to stay positive, though, especially when you receive yet another rejection email – or no response at all.

Try to avoid reacting negatively to rejection emails or letters. Instead, look at the situation more positively by telling yourself that it wasn’t the best possible opportunity for you and a much better opportunity will come along soon.

If self-defeating thoughts enter your head, think about your past achievements. Write these down and read them whenever you feel a bit discouraged so that you focus on the positive aspects of your life.

Take One Day at a Time

Try not to worry about or obsess over the future. Worrying won’t change anything and can even stop you from taking action today. When you start to worry, say to yourself: “I will do everything in my power to change my situation today and the future will take care of itself.”

Think back to times when you were in difficult circumstances and remember how those situations changed, perhaps suddenly or unexpectedly. Allow these thoughts to motivate you to move forward one minute, hour and day at a time.

Focus on how you can best spend your time today without thinking about tomorrow. This will help you feel more positive and prevent you from worrying too much. Read an inspiring book, such as The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, in which the author recalls how focusing on the present moment made him feel happy and at peace when he was jobless and homeless for two years.

Unemployment Won’t Last Forever

Unemployment is a challenging stage of life, but it doesn’t last forever. Almost everyone who experiences unemployment finds it difficult to cope sometimes. Don’t feel bad when this happens to you. Be kind to yourself and focus on taking care of your physical and mental health, so that when you sign your next employment contract, you’ll be in the best shape possible to fulfill the demands of your new job.

About the Author: Roz Andrews is the founder of the online magazine, Small Steps, which inspires readers to move forward in life, one small step at a time. She is the author of several eBooks, including You Can Improve Your Life and Become Happier: A Six-Week Action Plan for Busy People. As a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader, she works on a variety of projects, specializing in personal development, well-being at work, health and fitness, personal finance and related areas.