Self care, while a common topic in modern society, doesn’t often make its way into the world of unemployment and job searching. When you’re expected to throw yourself into looking for opportunities, filling out applications, tweaking your resume, attending interviews, and basically exhausting all resources to find a new position, little attention is giving to how this affects your physical and mental state. However, lack of self care can actually be detrimental to your job hunt, and can make your search take longer than it should. Why?
Well, when you fail to take care of yourself, you lose energy, motivation, and clarity, all of which are important in approaching your job search at your best. Forgetting about your own needs, whether they be physical, mental, or both, is a key part in your hiring process, and make you both a better person and a better employee when the time comes for a company to take you on. How though can you still practice self care without sacrificing precious time needed for finding a new job in the first place?
Some simple ways to stay motivated and keep yourself at your best include:
- Getting rest. Sleep is important for your self care, period. It lets your body physically recover from the strain of each day, it resets your brain, and it helps you keep a positive outlook with more patience and improved clarity. Aim for at least 7 hours each night, and be sure that you’re getting quality rest. Turn off televisions and devices, keep lights low (or off completely), and set yourself up for success with a comfortable environment that promotes your best sleep.
- Exercise. Moving your body is important for your physical health, but it’s also a big part of mental health as well. The endorphins released from a brisk walk, a quick trip to the gym, or a bike ride around one of our local lakes are a great way to boost your energy levels, improve your mood, and give you motivation to head home and hit the job boards again after a quick shower.
- Don’t forget to eat! It sounds silly, but in the hustle and bustle of interviews and dropping off applications it’s easy to forget to pencil in time for lunch. Feeding yourself well (meaning good quality, wholesome food) is key in self care. Aim for your fruits and veggies each day, and limit unhealthy options like sweets or fast food.
- Make the job search process simple. Nothing kills motivation (and wears on your mental stamina) like a complicated, boring, and unenjoyable job ahead. Keep notes of your favorite job boards online, stay organized with contact information of companies with which you’ve already applied, and make sure you’re routinely checking local recruiting pages for recent posts. A hiring agency can be one of the best ways to keep yourself motivated as they take the hard parts of your job search out of your hands!
Polk County residents trust PHR Staffing Solutions, and have seen long-term success in getting hired faster by placing their resumes in our hands and letting us do the rest. We work with employers throughout the area to find quality applicants for vacancies in their staff, and offer post-hire support for both employers AND applicants as they navigate the process together. Give us a call when you’re ready to get hired!