A day of job searching can feel like 8 hours in the boxing ring with Tyson Fury. You keep swinging and swinging, and when you connect with an opportunity, you leave yourself open for further disappointment.
But feeling beaten-up is just one symptom of an epic job hunt. Uncertainty, fear, and low self-esteem also take their toll. Depression becomes more likely the longer you keep searching. You are likely to spend less time with family and friends (and, of course, colleagues) – your natural support group. Your physical health is likely to suffer.
When unemployment drifts on, it develops its own feedback loop: physical and mental health issues impair your ability to make good decisions and manage your job search.
It is essential to catch this loop as early as you can. The best way to arrest a decline into unemployment fatigue is to treat your job search like a job. To treat yourself like an employee deserving of humane conditions and – why not? – some juicy benefits!
Looking for specific advice relating to finding remote work? Check out our comprehensive remote job guide for more ideas on how to land the perfect (remote) position.
Treat your job search as a job
Set yourself working hours, and don’t overdo it. Experts reckon three hours per day should be your limit, and stick to a regular daily schedule. Just one rule: shower and get dressed before you show up (it’s good for your dignity and your sense of discipline).
Reducing the hours you spend job-searching may be the last thing on your mind if your need for work is urgent. But turning up to an interview frazzled by weeks of endless screen time won’t do you any favors. Calm your guilt by spending your free afternoons working on your professional skills:
- Take a free course – heck, you could add Harvard to your resume!
- Read a book to get some deep insight on your industry.
- Get some exercise and meet a friend. It’s good for your brain.
Of course, few jobs are this simple, and your job-search-as-job is no exception. That’s why Resume.io has created our guide to identifying and defeating job search fatigue. Here’s how to manage your job search project without it running rings around you. How to calm your existing fatigue and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Take care of yourself during your period of being “self-unemployed.” It’s good for you, and you’ll be your best you when the job interview of a lifetime crops up. Ready? Put on your tie and make your favorite cup of tea. You’re the boss today.
