Job Hunting And Mental Health: 4 Tips On Staying Sane

The Perils of Job Hunting

Yes, job hunting can be a stressful time in one’s life. 73% of job seekers tend to feel the strain as they look for a job (or find a second job, if applicable). This statistic can be most shocking, especially if you’re working or studying in certain industries. If you’re in any of the following categories or situations, then you’ll know this to be true:

• C-Suite and mid-level executives
• Young professionals looking to make a name for themselves
• Entrepreneurs wanting to sell the next “Wow!” factor, or
• Youths and students still attending university

You see, job hunting can be a grueling task, since it involves gathering experience, writing resumes and cover letters, applying to jobs left and right, and going to interviews only to not get the job after all. So yes, it’s a vicious cycle.

But the truth is, you’re not alone.

Job hunting can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be this way, especially if you’re worried about your mental health. In this article, you’ll be introduced to 4 practical ways of staying sane, as you go about job hunting and, eventually, finding your dream job.

So, if you’re ready to take the next step in ensuring wellness in your mental health while job searching, read on!

1. Embrace Affirmations

First, positivity is important to have in your life. Without positivity, you’ll feel less motivated to do things, like look for a job, or give resumes out to various employers.

With that said, learn to allow affirmations to enter your life. Maybe you have a motivational saying that you like a whole lot? Maybe a Bible verse that stands out in your life? Or maybe a funny quote from a movie or on the Internet that makes you happy? Any of these count as affirmations!

Affirmations are meant to be self-empowering, and can be used as friendly reminders throughout your day. If you ever find yourself doubting your values, or feeling down, remember the positive thoughts and feelings that come from your chosen affirmations.

Another way to gain affirmations is to listen to music or watch a movie that’s meaningful to you. Chances are, you’ll learn something from the lyrics, or from a movie that you like. Either way, you’ll be overcome with positivity.

1. Have A Scheduling Routine

Next, get in the habit of scheduling for job searching, interviews, checking in with applications, and more. “Even if you’re currently working at a job, you can still make time to apply for jobs on, say, your days off, or even during your lunch break. Now, while it’s tempting to quit your current job, it’s not recommended, because you still need the safety net of income to keep you financially sustained until you’re able to find another job” says Lisa Slade, a psychology writer.

Regardless of your current job situation, make it your job to create a scheduling routine. In your routine, you’ll need to do the following tasks:

• Creating a list of potential occupations (i.e., C-suite executive, jobs for students, jobs that can benefit an entrepreneur skill-wise, etc.)
• Perfect your resume
• Write cover letters
• Search for people to be your references
• Filling out applications
• Scheduling interviews
• Practicing for interviews, and more.

It’s important to stay on a schedule that helps you do what you need to do to find and obtain a job that you want. In this way, you’re not draining yourself mentally and emotionally. You can even split your work into workable sessions, so that you’re not multitasking or pushing yourself too hard.

1. Take Care Of Yourself

Now, whoever said that you have to work and job-search all day? No one, fortunately!

Burnout and lack of motivation can come from having to line up interviews and stressing about where your income (or next paycheck) will come from. So, if you need a break, then take a break.

The Muse suggests that taking a job search hiatus can help you prevent burnout when looking for a job. In the last section, we’ve discussed the importance of keeping a scheduling routine. Now, it’s time to talk about self-care.

You heard right! Scheduling time for self-care is just as important as scheduling the other stuff. Self-care allows you to rewind and refresh from having to work on looking for a job.

So, how do you practice self-care?

The truth is, there is no right or wrong way to practice self-care. Whether you make slight changes to your normal diet, drink more water, get a better night’s sleep, or treat yourself to a homemade spa, self-care is what you make it.

1. Seek Help, When Needed

Finally, when push comes to shove, it’s important to seek help. According to a 2013 study done by Gallup, the longer a job seeker remains unemployed, the more likely they’ll experience mental health issues, including depression.

“Whether you go to your family, or seek a counselor, it’s imperative that you get the help and guidance that you need to get through this hectic phase in your life” comments  Alice Luckett, a recruiter.

When talking to your family or loved ones about your situation, be honest about it. There’s no need to sugarcoat the situation, or to lie about it. When job hunting becomes stressful, it’s important to talk about it with your loved ones. While there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to help you in your situation money-wise, just talking to them can make your job-seeking venture less of a burden. By being transparent, your loved ones will be able to help you in the best way possible.

Now, when consulting a counselor, you’ll need to explain the situation to the best of your ability. If it’s too hard for you to talk about your situation, then that’s okay – take your time. Also, listen to the advice that a counselor gives you. Chances are, their proposed solutions can help you tremendously.

You can also check out the following resources, which may be helpful in managing the challenging situation that you’re in now:

• MentalHealth.gov
• Monster.com
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24/7 Help)

Conclusion

As you can see, job hunting doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, when it comes to your mental health, it’s not worth getting stressed over trying to find your dream job. While job hunting is different for everyone, the stress that can come from it is universal. While these tips are quite helpful in their own right, there is more to your mental health than what was discussed here.

Remember: You’re not alone. If job searching has taken a mental toll on you, then don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

Never give up! You got this!

Christina Lee is a writer and editor at UK Writings and Academized. She is also a contributing writer for OX Essays. As a social media strategist, she helps companies improve their social media presence and digital marketing. As a content writer, she writes articles about marketing news and technologies.