Personal Development

6 Ways To Make Your Job Search Less Stressful

Job search can be draining when dead ends become commonplace. Don't give up on the search. Give into cleansing negative energy with positive reinforcements.

Every job hunt hits a rough patch. Most employers don't respond to rejected candidates, leaving many hopeful candidates confused and frustrated. While searching for a job, bills continue to pile up and household items continue to run out.

This stress brings out negative energy and frustrations. To make matters worse, the news consistently reminds people of layoffs and high unemployment. It can seem like a job is never coming. Acquiescence is incorrect, so what is? It's positive energy.

Positive energy during difficult times is trying. The competition is fierce. It gets fiercer after losing jobs to well-networked candidates and family members of management. The success is rewarding when you tough it out. Stay positive and fight. In the meanwhile, these suggestions will deter negative energy and recharge batteries.

Wake up working

beautiful young woman drinking coffee at home in her bed wearing a cozy sweater while checking her laptop

Turn negative energy around by waking up in a positive mood. A new day brings uncertainty, and a rested mind gets creative juices flowing. Think about it: finding work is a full-time job, so treat it as a full-time job. Dress up as if you're leaving the house. Search for employment as if payment is the motivation.

Likewise, when the shift is over, leave it behind. Schedule a time to leave the job search. During the work hours, have a thought-out plan handy. Examples are following up with companies, cold calling an industry, and driving to and filling out a list of in-person applications. Take a break for lunch.

Eliminate negative stressors

Negative energy keeps job seekers down. Fight mental, physical and emotional doubters by eliminating the stressors causing it. Remove friends, family, co-workers and business connections who keep the negative energy alive. TV and radio news hammering negative news isn't healthy either, so turn both off. Unplug from the internet and live in the real world. Block or unfollow stressful social media users.

Turn off mental doubts and fears. Communicate negative thoughts to a healthy support group filled with trusting and loving people. Write melancholy in detail on paper and burn it afterward. Make time to allow mental doubts to play out in your head until it fades.

Take a break

Business woman indoor with coffee and laptop taking notes

Job searching is stressful and time-consuming. Too much concentration causes burnout and depression (from lack of progress). Therefore, it's an excellent idea to escape. ‘No' is the automatic response to that sentence, but a break will recharge drained batteries.

Job seekers will return refreshed and relaxed. The creative juices force you to think differently about hunting habits and interview skills while conjuring new ideas to approach the job hunt.

Concentrate on activities

During the break, concentrate on activities. Watch a movie, binge on your favorite TV show, exercise, paint, get a massage, play Sudoku, read a book, listen to music, hike, swim or take a bath/shower. Do whatever it takes to leave the job search and dive into something dissimilar. No job search will take the place of relaxation, pleasure, serenity and calmness.

Freshen up stale strategies

Businesswoman Using Laptop In Coffee Shop

After a break, the next logical step is trying new strategies to reach career goals. Strategy one: expand the search. Look for jobs related to enjoyable hobbies. Apply for available ones with payment.

Strategy two: accept a lower-paying job. This turns off job seekers because it's ‘beneath' them. However, a lower-paying job leads to larger, unexpected opportunities. Continue the job search while paying the bills. A lower-paying job may include taking a job outside your skill set (fast food, restaurant, retail, etc.).

Strategy three: volunteer. Hard work for free is not ideal to job seekers finding work, but it does narrow the employment gap. It shows employers you did something during the down period. An alternative strategy is going to networking conventions, speaking events and job fairs to shake hands and add new connections to your network.

Learn something new

Computer users naturally browse social media accounts and read celebrity news in their free time. Instead, channel that free time toward skill-based learning experiences. Take free classes online, attend training seminars and/or enroll in college. In turn, one develops a new language, brushes up on typing skills or learns new computer software. This productive activity shows employers that job searching isn't the only thing you do.

No one said life was easy. If it were, the job unemployment rate wouldn't exist. Realistically, it does, and to fight statistics, we need to fight on the workforce battlefield. All facets of life are competitive. Use the positive reinforcements above for gaining perspective and getting closure on the job hunt.

Is the job hunt wearing you down? It's natural. Gain reassurance by commenting with like-minded people below. Together, we'll get past the hump and be on the fast track to success. If you know someone who needs a helping hand, share this article on your social media profiles.

About the author


Tonya Jones Reynolds

A professional writer with years of experience, I like adding my personal spin on various topics. I worked in various marketplaces like Textbroker and Blogmutt.

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