The state of being unemployed is simultaneously freeing and disturbing. It's also the toughest job you'll ever have.

One of the biggest challenges my clients face during unemployment or underemployment is: the lack of daily structure.

There is a loss of an external force – such as the workplace – to dictate your time and activities.

This has the potential to throw some people for an emotional and logistical loop. Keep reading for time management tips when you're unemployed.

If you suddenly find yourself without a job, your first priority is to take care of yourself. Do so by attending to the urgent details of your employment separation.

Once the dust settles, and you've taken some time to relax, it's important to get grounded in a daily routine. This is for both your mental well-being and job search efficacy.

We function best in a safe environment. For many, that means adding structure to a unstructured situation.

Why all the noise about having a schedule?

Disciplined and consistent approaches to identifying, seeking, and securing your next role ensures success.

Lackadaisical and chaotic approaches to the hunt for employment only results in more unemployment.

I co-create a daily schedule with my clients to explicitly map out what happens (and when) during their Monday – Friday.

Key elements to a daily schedule include:

• Wake time and bed time
• Meal planning
• Exercise and/or meditation
• Online correspondence such as resume submission, email, and social media
• Networking, interviewing, and virtual event attendance
• Wellness appointments with professionals
• Communicating with friends and family

The candidate who does the day-in and day-out tasks of a job search, no matter their mood, gets what they want faster and easier.

Are you properly doing your job of being unemployed?

Kelley is a career development coach who is dedicated to helping people discover their career path and land their dream jobs. Kelley and her partner Josh live in New York City from which she has served hundreds of professionals across the U.S., U.K., and Australia since 2012 to radically change their relationship with work.

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