Unemployed.

So here I am, on our futon, ready to take my Netflix experience to the next level. Just kidding. Kind of. It's a scary thing to leave your job in this economy, and it's further complicated by the fact that I don't really know what career I want. It's hard to look for a job when you don't know what you are looking for.

What I do need, is maybe not a job, but is a series of non-loafing related goals to start moving me in the right direction. So, let's take a look at EFF's strategy for a productive unemployment:

• 1 blog post every week day. Writing every day will give me a physical accomplishment to show for my time. It is very satisfying to see each new post pop up, and that is validation that will keep me motivated
• Start studying for the GRE. This won't be an everyday endeavor, but it will sharpen my math skills and get me thinking about what's next. Pick a test date by December
• Get the house into shape - hang our photos, break down the boxes, get the closet working functionally.
• Cook dinner each night. Eating in is not only financially sustainable, but it will give me a schedule to stick to. Dinner takes place around the same time each day, which means I have to get off my behind and be productive on a schedule. It will also give me a chance to use all my fancy new kitchen tools. 
• Run 15 miles a week
• Contribute financially to our household in some fashion by mid-October.

I think that the rut a lot of people get into is making their goal list too focused on finding a job. Yes, that's important, and you should work on it. But tying a goal that you, ultimately, have no control over to your self-esteem is a dangerous thing. I've done it before, and it can make you feel pretty terrible when things don't work out for whatever reason. So, keep your goals focused on things you can control, keep applying for jobs, and things will fall into place. 

Another point to remember is that you don't have to find your ideal job to have a job. It doesn't always look like you thought, but bringing in a paycheck and having the structure of a schedule can do a lot for you. If I haven't landed on anything good in a few weeks, I'll be walking my behind right down to the nearest Crate & Barrel or j.Crew to apply for sales jobs. 

So stay tuned, You'll be hearing from me a lot moving forward.