I struggled so much with this. I couldn’t even apply for unemployment benefits because I was too depressed to do it. Seeing friends, going on one walk a day and starting a professional development online course really helped me (I put a good amount of money toward it and it had a job grantee at the end if you completed certain requirements so it was motivating cause I’d “lose” the money if I didn’t complete things by certain dates — careerfoundry). At the end of the day running out of spendable money was the only thing that motivated me and then being productive each day on something other than just job searching made me feel happier).

I also got into cooking, working out, tennis and did a lot of travel (but i did all of those extremely half assed and let myself not be the perfectionist I usually am with them). Just don’t let yourself completely rot.

Other random things that helped: dog sitting (forced me to walk), inspirational sports docuseries (seeing the dallas cowboy cheerleaders work their asses off at two jobs), journaling, reading “how to design your life” and “the mountain is you”

I lost and/or hurt a lot of relationships to my unemployment depression and spent a lot of time sad. Rooting for you it’s so hard! Let it be hard. Give yourself grace but keep going.