Hi Gilbert,

I’m one of the readers of your blog and also got myself unemployed involuntarily.

During this period of unemployment, each and every single day of staying at home becomes an increasingly difficult task to manage.

I was “enjoying” the first month of unemployment and by time the second month comes, every single day becomes an increasingly difficult task when you wake up in the morning, switch on the computer, search the jobs web directories for new postings (many were actually repeated postings) and have nothing else to do.

It seems my brain is rotting away without any sort of challenge to it. Negativity seeps in and morale dive-bombed. One of the things I did religiously during this unemployment period was to intensify my exercise routine during this period.

Prior to unemployment, I was exercising about 2-3 times a week jogging around my estate. I began researching for new running techniques to try out with and to improve my overall fitness.

I read in some articles that exercises can bring out releasing certain chemical agents from your body that can make your brain feel positive. Almost every morning, after each gruelling training run, when I sat on the ground in the park (since I have a lot of time to spare) and began to “feel” myself, I always felt there is a “feeling of achievement” going throughout my body, and for the rest of the day, this feeling persisted and I could even have a good night of sleep (because of the fatigue from the run).

This went on until I realised that during the days that I did not do any training runs, my mind began to feel negative and morale dive-bombed as a result for the day. I immediately went for a run in the evening when such negative feelings come in and the “feeling of achievement” came back again. This is when I discovered the human body’s reactions of releasing these chemical agents (or endorphins) is true.

 I urge all readers of your post who are unemployed to pick up some form of daily exercise (whether its a slow paced jog for beginners or hard running for the advanced) to maintain personal health and fitness, as well as this more important additional benefit of staying positive! You will look better, feel better and think better!

Regards,

Mr. Anonymous

Gilbert: The reader recently found employment and we wish him the best in his new job!

Related posts:

1. 7 Ways To Come out of Prolonged Unemployment
2. How To Maintain Family Harmony During Unemployment