In a follow-up to yesterday’s rant about my current e-mail obsession, I want to offer those who share my fixation with the ‘refresh’ button a beacon of light. While my Inbox is omnipresent throughout the day, I have picked up a few hobbies that have not only taken up my time, but have allowed myself to journey into uncharted territories, utilizing parts of the brain that have been long ignored. In no particular order, (drum roll please) my newest hobbies:
Smell the creativity
1. Cooking.
The first reason to start cooking is simple; it’s cheaper than going out. This will resonate largely with those on the line with me. “But Dan,” you might say, “I spend just as much buying the ingredients than I would ordering take-out.” “True”, I’ll respond, “but check the refrigerator come lunch-time the next day and you’ll see the savings start to pile up.”
Not only is cooking cheap, but it will make for some of the best memories you will ever have. Cook for your significant other, your kids, your dog. If it doesn’t go well? Lose the ego; you will laugh about the miscue for months to come.
Lastly, invigorate your creativity. It is easy to let yourself go during a time of unemployment, as noted in this blog entry, but engaging yourself in activities that stimulate your creative senses maintain your mental sharpness. Try new recipes, learn about new spices. Each dish resembles a certain mood, a feeling, and certainly a sensation.
2. Enter yourself into a marathon.
Trust me; it’s easier than you think – just start slow. Research walk/runs that benefit a local charity; a 5K to raise money for a high school, just something you can commit to, and something you can mark on your calendar. The event date will spark your motivation, excitement and energy as you begin training.
Speaking of training; preparing for a marathon (or an event of any kind) calls for a regimented lifestyle. Running (or walking) at certain points in the day is a requirement, and something that must be branded into your weekly schedule in order to succeed. For those who are unemployed, this structure will not only provide a morale boost, but will give your day a greater sense of purpose.
I didn’t forget the health benefits of this activity, because they’re plentiful, but one other reason supersedes a strong heart, and that’s a free t-shirt. Enough said.
3. Write
Not because you want recognition. Not because you think you can pen the next Twilight series. Write just to let it out. Being unemployed manifests a rollercoaster of emotions, and it’s good to get them off your chest. Whether it is a personal journal or public blog post, writing provides a release that is often hard to find, and more importantly, a much needed escape from the daily grind.
I didn’t mean to rhyme that last line (damn, I did it again), but the point is to find a hobby that suits you. It may be eating healthier, it may be a new training routine; whatever it is – make sure your hobby is one that gives you a much-needed confidence boost. You will certainly notice the change, and maybe your next employer will as well.
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