The Dead Company Club

“When you are unhappy, is there anything more maddening than to be told that you should be contented with your lot?”                                                                                  Kathleen Norris

If your company is gone and you’re unemployed, a noted doctor has figured out why you may be unhappy. Dr. Norman M. Bradburn conducted a psychology study at the University of Chicago back in the 1960’s. He found that employment was a key discriminator between happy and unhappy people. Fear of unemployment weighed heavily in the unhappy camp too. No kidding.

But – very importantly – Dr. Bradburn found plenty of unemployed people were happy. He attacked this oddity like a pit bull and ultimately found that social interaction was the key to happiness, regardless of employment status.

Are you social?

Dr. Bradburn measured social interaction by seven factors, all reducible to a number:

1. Organizations belonged go
2. Phone calls per day
3. Distance traveled from home in the past week
4. Meetings attended
5. Friends visited
6. Auto rides taken
7. Restaurant meals eaten

The more of each, the merrier.

Test yourself.

If you’re unemployed and unhappy, ask yourself:

• Are you isolating?

• Getting away from your keyboard?

• Networking in person?

• Escaping the house?

• Calling friends, even those that are employed?

Extra credit

From experience I would add:

Are you getting outside to walk or do other exercise at least once a day? It’s proven to change the way you feel. Plus daylight and the wind in your face are healing.

Of course, you can hold as tightly to unhappiness as you wish. I wallowed in my dirty diaper for too long and it didn’t do any good. It’s your choice. I know which one I prefer.

What makes you feel better when your self-esteem has cracked and you’re feeling like a victim of circumstances beyond your control?

Laurie Phillips is very happy being her own boss as a freelance writer for Sundance Research.

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