Suddenly, the silence was broken by the ringing of a cell phone. Oh shit, David thought. “That is all.”

I’d recently had an interview at a big consulting firm downtown, a nice change from the last four months of sending application after application to the abyss. He got maybe one actual rejection for every five requests you submitted; the rest went unnoticed and unrecognized. The interview seemed to go pretty well, but he knew he was nervous throughout the process. How could it not be? Hears Finally I had an interview. Besides, she really needed this job. Bills were piling up, relationships were strained, and he was beginning to crack. Here was the call.

I answer the phone.

“Dammit…”

Sounds familiar? If that made your palms sweaty or your stomach churn, you’ve been there before. And the worst part is that this was not the first time that David had been seriously disappointed. Unfortunately, it won’t be the last.

What are you supposed to do with it? How do you keep looking for a job when you never seem to get an answer, or when you do, it’s just bad news? How do you deal with a situation you can’t stand but can’t escape?

The fact is, you NEED to escape, at least temporarily. You have bills to pay and mouths to feed, so giving up is simply not an option. But you need some kind of outlet, otherwise the pressure will get to you. You do not believe me? The unemployed commit suicide at twice or triple the national average, and the risk increases the longer a person is unemployed. This is a serious matter.

So what’s the best way to deal with what seems like an endless storm of bad news? If you just want to run away, you’re not too far away.

“There’s something so universal about that feeling, the way running unites our two most primal drives: fear and pleasure. We run when we’re scared, we run when we’re ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run for a while.” Good times.” Chris McDougall, Born to Run

I’ve been a runner for about 15 years and recently took it seriously. As my runs and mileage increased, I began to more fully appreciate the therapeutic benefits of running. For my money, there is simply nothing that can match the feeling of walking out of the house or office and just letting loose. It is liberating in a way unlike any other action. If the walls are caving in on you, this feeling of freedom is just what you need.

Side note: this post covers running in particular, because that generated the best results for me (and many others). If you have any other exercise that produces the same effect, go crazy. Really. The method doesn’t matter, you just need to vent and almost any intense training will do.

Mentally

Some people run to forget or “turn off”, others bring their problems with them to solve them along the way. It seems that I think better while running, so count me in the last field. Something about being on the go allows me to think clearly and solve difficult problems while avoiding the stress and hassle that would be present at my desk. Also, I’ve found that whatever is bothering me is going to rear its ugly head at some point, and if I don’t tackle it in a run, it will probably sneak up on me when I’m trying to sleep. That’s it latest thing i need

One reader, Jason, put it this way: “Running won’t guarantee you a future job, but it can give you a chance to reflect on your employment situation… That’s something that’s hard to do when you’re constantly scouring the internet for jobs.” .

Absolutely, it’s good to get out of the physical zone you associate with looking for a job or being unemployed, but it also takes you out of the mental zone of frustration and disappointment. The good folks at the Mayo Clinic call this Meditation in Motion. This time for reflection could reveal a flaw in your job application strategy, a crack in your resume, or it could spark a whole new approach to setting goals for your job search.

Physically

Another way running combats unemployment depression is to preempt other causes of depression, such as appearance anxiety. Simply put, most of us stress about how we look. That’s why more than 17 million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in the United States in 2009. That’s why Invisalign has manufactured more than 32 million aligners. That’s why some former North Carolina senators/former presidential candidates/now disgraced former politicians spend hundreds of dollars on haircuts.

It’s also a vicious cycle, because stressing about how you look results in less confidence. Self-confidence is regularly cited as one of the most attractive things about a person, and its effects on earnings are stronger than attractiveness and just as strong as intelligence. So perversely, if you feel insecure about how you look (regardless of how you actually look), you end up Really looking bad Add six months of job rejection to this innate insecurity, and your job prospects are downright terrifying.

Runners have increased levels of self-esteem, self-confidence, pride in appearance, heck, they even live longer. They have lower levels of obesity, fatigue, stress, and a host of illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.

In other words, an unemployed person who doesn’t run risks damaging his or her real and perceived appearance, and is at much higher risk of falling into serious depression. Unemployed runners combat all that extra anxiety and generally keep the stress of job hunting from building up. You already have enough on your plate, avoid additional stress.

chemistry and more

Running also increases the production of endorphins, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. In its most intense form, this is known as the runner’s high, but even in small doses, running can lift your spirits. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment, a little win here and there, something long-time job seekers desperately need.

I was trying to explain to a non-runner why I was training for another marathon. Anyone who has trained for a marathon has probably had this conversation at some point: “Why would you do that? What could make 20-mile training runs worthwhile?” Fair questions. My answer was that he basically makes you feel like Superman. After doing a 20-mile run, no matter how sore, sunburned, road-burned, or caked you are, you feel bulletproof. You just ran 20 miles. Sorry, but that’s a win no matter who’s counting. Especially if you’re getting hit during your job search, chewing up 20 miles of highway feels great.

Social

Lastly, runners are a tight-knit group, simply because they all know what it takes to be one. Running can be brutal and requires a lot of time and sacrifice. But out of that difficulty comes a great fraternity and therefore it is a great way to meet and connect with people. If you’re looking to expand your network, get involved in your local community of brokers and start from there. You will be amazed at the relationships you can form.

So, I know I’m just scratching the surface here. The benefits of running for everyday life are almost incalculable. Those benefits are particularly relevant to someone facing a long and drawn-out job search battle. Also, I think running makes you more interesting. Most people (again, my experience) fall into one of two camps: they admire runners, or they are runners (or think they’re crazy, but that’s still interesting!). If so, being a runner puts you in an interesting social position, along with all those physical, mental, and emotional benefits. I hope you try it.

P.S:

1) Always consult your doctor before beginning a running regimen. Also, don’t take Cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as the combination can cause a sudden and unsafe drop in blood pressure. If you experience nausea during sexual activity, see your doctor right away because that’s really tricky.

2) I’m sure I missed out on a lot of benefits here, so feel free to add your own experience or opinion on running and job hunting. If you don’t agree with something, let’s do it.