There are many benefits to using your job-search time wisely
➔ Job seeking can be an extremely intense prospect. There are resumes and cover letters to polish and to customize… and distribute. There are companies to research. There are networking events, interviews and meetings. It’s all very intense.
There is some truth to the tome that says that looking for a job is a full-time job. Job seeking can be very demanding and time consuming. It’s all enough to make you… (fill in the blank.)
What to do? What to do?
Obviously everyone is different, but most experts advise that it is prudent to take a break at some time during the day. How many breaks? That will probably vary based on any number of criteria such as your schedule, the weather, your home situation, etc.
Nonetheless, studies show the benefits of getting out of your job-search mode and focusing on something entirely different. If for nothing else, this will help shake out the cobwebs out of your head and help you to re-focus on the task at hand.
These breaks can take many forms. Go for a walk. (If you have one, your dog will love you for it.) Fold some laundry. (Boring, tedious, but necessary.) Get a snack. (Be careful of what and how much you eat.) Run an errand. (Go to the post office. Gas up the car. Go to the store for milk or bread, or whatever.) Go to the gym. (Sounds like work already.) Attack the kitchen. (Make your own lunch. Start preparing dinner. Empty and re-load the dishwasher.)
What not to do.
Regardless of your situation, these are some things you might want to consider ignoring. Steer clear of YouTube. (That might be the biggest rabbit hole since Alice took her tumble.) Watching TV. (Same vein as YouTube. Be honest – you’ve seen every Gilligan episode ever filmed.) While snacking can be good, don’t finish off that box of bon-bons. There are probably many more, but you get the idea.
At the end of the day (no pun intended,) don’t get stale. Get up. Move around. Engage your mind. Steer clear of atrophy. You, your spouse, your family and… your next employer will all benefit.