The stress of looking for a new job can weigh you down sometimes (OK, maybe a lot of the time!) Stress is a part of life and learning how to manage your feelings will absolutely help you even once you are done with this job search.
So many of the tips and advice for de-stressing your life are common-sense, but if we know the solutions, and could reduce the stress in our lives, why aren’t we implementing them? Tough question, right? Maybe you are procrastinating? My friend and colleague, Miriam Salpeter writes about addressing that today in How to get a job when you’re busy.
The Tips to Squelch Stress
In this post, on ComeRecommended, it points out things to do to de-stress your job search. Really simple, actionable things! Heather Huhman is another one of my favorite bloggers! Her no-non-sense posts are always just what the job search doctor ordered! I hope you take a minute or two to read her advice.
What Are You Waiting For?
Introducing any one of those stress-busting suggestions could begin to turn things around. So why are you not taking action? Because it is downright hard to fix our ourselves or our situations. Some of you may be thinking: “I tried these things but they didn’t work.” I hear that a lot from job seekers about a lot of suggestions and tips to improve their job search. So here are my 5 tips for making change stick!
1. Commit to a 30-day trial period
Seriously. Try it for 30-days, risk free, and if it hasn’t worked, then move on.
2. Set REALISTIC goals
You can’t change yourself overnight. If you set unrealistic goals, you are much more likely to under-achieve, feel disappointed and quit.
3. Take small steps
Trying to implement too many changes at once can be overwhelming and as a result, you can’t really focus on executing any of them well. Bite off smaller pieces so you can manage what you set out to do. Extreme diets or exercise programs are not meant to be sustainable. The same thing is true here.
4. Buddy-Up
I know you mean well, but sometimes things slip or you become side-tracked or re-routed. Identify a friend and enter into a contract with them to help hold you accountable. It is like stepping on the scale at WeightWatchers.
5. Believe in yourself
Making changes is difficult, but if you believe in yourself, this confidence can help motivate you to continue. Just like the Little Engine that Could used the positive self-talk “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can”, you too, must have that positive voice playing in your head! Believe in you, because nobody else will!
The bottom line:
Getting a grip on your emotions and pushing out the stress will allow you to perform your job search better and along the way, you’ve learned some new skills to bring with you to your new job! (You are probably going to need them!) You will also need to learn the “new” job search skills.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
