Beat Job Search Stress without Breaking a Sweat
Posted April 16, 2015 & filed under Job Search
If you’re like most people, your job search isn’t the only thing on your plate. Work, family obligations, volunteering, social events, and even some relaxing downtime all jockey for prime real estate in your busy schedule.
Your precarious balance can easily be upset as you try to accommodate the added weight of your job search. Stress can go viral. That is, if you fail to manage it.
Segment your job search
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Often, what makes the job search such a difficult pill is that most people try to tackle it all at once. That’s about as easy as trying to down an ostrich egg in one gulp. Job search stress is almost a given at that point. To eliminate that stress, break your job search into manageable parts throughout the day.
For example, dedicate time in the morning or afternoon to search for job openings. Spend time just networking on your lunch. Allot time, either early or late depending upon your best state-of-mind, applying to jobs and updating your resume. Experiment with what works for you until you have smaller objectives that are mentally manageable.
Find your release
Are you feeling stressed in the moment? It’s okay to take a break. Removing yourself from a problem can generate that coveted eureka moment. There’s actually some science behind it.
Your prefrontal frontal cortex, which helps you concentrate on the task at hand and search for existing info to aid a problem’s solution, can get caught on a single track. A break can help you find a new angle of approach and even alternative solutions. However, your break needs to be the right type of break.
Mindless activities (social network surfing, watching your favorite program, etc.) are acts of self-sabotage. At best, they require the brain activity of a sea cucumber. Instead, go for a walk, read an article or a few pages in a book, solve a puzzle, or do anything else that allows your mind to wander and rejuvenate. When you return in 15 to 20 minutes, you’ll feel refreshed and will hopefully be imbued with an uncanny solution.
Eat right and sleep well
Chances are your job search stress isn’t just psychological. People who aren’t taking care of their physical needs are often more prone to stress. Two of the easiest ways to dispel the bad mood blues is through healthier foodstuff and a little shuteye.
One way to chisel through a block of stress can come from some simple dietary changes. Magnesium in corn, apricots, and spinach can combat stress and even fight depression. In healthy doses, an increase in your magnesium intake can help regulate your overall mood.
Uninterrupted sleep can also help limit your stress. Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep with an hour unplugged from cell phone and computer screens beforehand can help your brain fight stressors. It guarantees that your circadian rhythms are healthy and your body can rapidly bounce back from job search stress.
Remember your end goal
It’s easy to get stressed when you lose perspective. Work that doesn’t appear to be paying off can weigh heavily on your psyche. To prevent that build up, keep tabs of what you’ve done and celebrate your little victories along the way.
Remember, you’re putting in genuine work to achieve your goal. Though a new job may not happen overnight, you’ll get there in time and all of that stress will wash away as you dive into a new and rewarding job.
by James Walsh
