Why Being At Work Is Better Than Being Unemployed & Out Of Work

By Waiching

Not having a job, sucks, big time. I know that feeling, I've been there and done that and the feeling is not enjoyable. For several years, I hated being out of work and not having a job: the number of job interviews I have attended have been few, whilst I was busy putting out CVs and cover letters. Mentally, it made me depressed and I wanted to earn my money, instead of it being handed to me on a plate. I spent most of my time in education, spending money on courses that didn't lead me anywhere, job-wise and looking back, I regret going down that path and that I should have found employment earlier on, say right after high school at age 16. Today, I am in a well-paid job and I am grateful to my current employers for giving me a shot, and with that, I have repaid the faith they have put in me. Working and to be working is always a good thing, although working in a place that values your efforts is as equally important; if you work and you're not happy and feel you need to get out, then that is a problem.

To be in paid employment is always a good thing; a) it contributes to our happiness and boosts morale, b) it's a way to get out of the house and do something and gives us the means to develop our skills, whilst gaining new ones & c) it's also about a sense of pride and achievement one has and having our efforts praised and recognised by others. Your job/role gives you a sense of identity, it shapes who you are as a person - if not to indicate the type of individual that you are. 

& the money we earn we can use this to support ourselves and our loved ones.

When people ask employed people what they do for a living, the straightforward answer would be their job title, but when people ask unemployed people what they do, that reply is a little trickier. 

Working also means meeting and working with other people whom you otherwise would not have met and to interact with them. By expanding your horizons, one has the opportunity - should they wish to take it - to harbour and foster new working relationships and potential friendships and to build on their confidence and self-esteem by being approachable and putting their skills to effective use. Although I work with others as it is part of the job and I don't socialise with them outside of working hours. 

It's far better to be working, as opposed to not working at all: studies have shown that if you are not working and unemployed, then chances are your mental and physical health problems will trigger and increase, you become further isolated from society and without that social interaction which you gain through your colleagues and other people, your confidence levels goes further down. It is when you work that you become productive, pro-active and by contributing to the company, other employees and management will take notice. When you have a paid job, you have self-worth that you maintain, your social capital increases and whilst it doesn't make you entirely happy, it's still satisfying knowing we can attain confidence and respect; that and you can afford to pay the bills. 

Contrast that to unemployment: less money comes in, constant berating from others to get a job and if you rely on state handouts, there are fewer options for financial support, and according to Layard, it reduces one's happiness by destroying the self-respect and social relationships, created at work. Unemployment presents so many hardships, as the search for that job continues.  

It's not fun not having a job when you are of working age, nor is it fun constantly relying on state handouts; plus, NOT all of those years spent during college and university studying for a career in the media were worthwhile because those studies did not help me land a job in that area. Therefore, one is indeed, better off with a job. It's not just the money, even though it is the main attraction: you get out of the house, you spend time with other people and talk to them, building up self-confidence and you do the work that is expected of you. 

If you are reading this and you are out of work and feel stuck in a rut, please do keep trying and apply for as many jobs as you can and get someone who can edit and read through your CV/resume to make sure it is perfect and that they prepare you for potential job interviews. I know and understand how tough the job market is, but persistence pays off in the end: you just have to continuously put out those CVs, attend interviews and convince him/her you are the ideal employee for the position that you are applying for. The more you do so, the better your prospects for success.

As the saying goes, ''we work to live, not live to work'', and thus, it is important to be employed up until you choose to retire.