No Job? No Prob!

Just a note about one lighthearted resource for anyone recently out of work. Parts of No Job? No Prob!: How to Pay Your Bills, Feed Your Mind, and Have a Blast When You’re Out of Work, by Nicholas Nigro sound awfully trite and silly. And parts of it are.
But my sense, in a quick read, is that Nigro is trying to help people avoid the paralysis that often comes when the structure that propels our days forward abruptly disappears. Standing at the edge of an unmarked landscape, it’s easy … even common … to become so overwhelmed at the immensity of the open time and space, and the lack of any guide or direction, that you freeze. Or, more accurately, disappear into an unproductive black hole of television watching or internet surfing. And objects at rest tend to stay at rest. The inertia builds. And it gets harder and harder to get moving again.

Nigro’s exhortations to visit museums and libraries (and yes, even trash dumpsters) may sound a bit Pollyanna-ish. But the truth is, the universe does seem to reward action. And he’s right, that if you fill your days with action—ANY action—forward motion is far more likely to occur. The book also contains some solid “nuts-and-bolts” information, such as advice on unemployment and finances, and a career reassessment questionnaire. My suggestion regarding the rest is, focus on the general sentiment of his ideas and then come up with your own list of productive actions that: a) might feed your soul and give you renewed enthusiasm about your work and life, b) will get you out into the world and away from the television or computer screen, and c) help you explore new possibilities, directions and ideas for what you want to do next.
But I certainly agree with Nigro that having the walls around you crumble isn’t necessarily all bad. Uncomfortable, yes. But crisis and change also offer opportunities to try radically new things, or change your life in ways you never would in normal times. With less to lose, the risks of exploring a new direction go down. As my mother would put it … “Embrace your freedom! This opportunity may not come again.”