Keeping your spirits up post-layoff

 

It could be tempting to sleep 'til noon. Or maybe money worries are keeping you up at night. Here's how to get back on track.

SparkPeople.com is a free Web site helping individuals lead healthful lifestyles. Sign up for daily e-mail reminders and wellness tips.

You're cutting back spending, but there are still some little ways to treat yourself.

Who knows, your hobby could turn into your next career!



Also: In conjunction with your hobby, consider taking a continuing education class at your local college or university. In Greater Cincinnati, UC offers Communiversity classes. Search http://www.uc.edu/ce/

Search here by ZIP code and area of interest

National service program that allows people of all ages and backgrounds to earn help paying for education in exchange for a year of service.

In April 2009, President Barack Obama is expected to sign a $5.7 billion bill that triples positions in the Clinton-era AmeriCorps program, its largest expansion since the agency's creation in 1993, and establishes a fund to help nonprofit organizations recruit and manage more volunteers.



Applications to AmeriCorps have exploded with the plunging employment market. In February 2009, there were 9,731 applications submitted to the AmeriCorps online system, more than triple the 3,159 submitted in February 2008. In the AmeriCorps program, 75,000 people spend 10 months to a year helping build affordable homes or responding to disasters. Most receive an annual stipend of slightly less than $12,000.

A search at the online bookseller Amazon.com reveals a host of titles on the subject of layoffs.  Among them:



 



Surviving a Layoff: A Week-by-Week Guide to Getting Your Life Back Together by Lita Epstein



Life After Layoff: Six Proven Courses of Action by Drs. Richard J. Van Ness  and Edith M. Donohue



Career Comeback: Eight steps to getting back on your feet when you're fired, laid off, or your business ventures has failed--and finding more job satisfaction than ever before by Bradley Richardson



 



and Laid Off? Don't Stress! How to Get from Mad to Glad by Kitty Wiemelt

These books, also available at Amazon.com, are among those targeted to an over-50 audience:



Changing Course: Navigating Life after Fifty by Drs. William A. Sadler and James H. Kreftt



Finding a Job After 50: Reinvent Yourself for the 21st Century by Jeannette Woodward



Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life by Marc Freedman

Formerly the domain of just college students, it's quickly become popular with baby boomers and all ages.  It's free and easy to use -- both for fun and for getting the word out that you're looking for work. Make your page as public or as private as you'd like.

Build and maintain connections with former co-workers, get recommendations from them, and request introductions to friends of friends.

Suddenly you've gone from career gal to stay-at-home mom. Connect with other moms in your local area. Get child-rearing or job-seeking advice, share stories, or just take a few minutes to relax.

Online sites are nice, but sometimes you need to speak face-to-face. This job search support group serves the Cincinnati area.

Performance coach Anthony Robbins talks with "Today" host Matt Lauer about  how to thrive in these tough times

To combat the stress and anxiety that come along with unemployment, follow these tips from mental-health experts.