If you are out-of-work, I recommend you find a ‘silver lining’ to your situation.

In particular, find something you wouldn’t be able to do if you are working full-time.

Make it as specific as possible and something that brings you Joy. Better still if it can also be something that brings you a sense of Pride. Here are some examples of silver linings:

Notice that the examples on the right are all items that you can tell whether you have done them in a particular week or not. I recommend items that you can check off (or not) on a weekly basis.

Now you may be thinking that you can’t find a job and you really need a job and frankly you don’t think loving being out of work is such a good idea. Shouldn’t you stay highly motivated to go find a job?

The Silver Lining is important because:

If you are engaged in life, even though you’re out of work, then you are feeling joyful and confident.

You will be able to describe things that you are doing with enthusiasm and that makes you a better job interview candidates than if you were to shuffle in, feeling down, feeling discouraged.

So finding a ‘silver lining’, something that is good about being out of work is important – both for your mental health and also for your ability to land a job.