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Take Care of Yourself in Your Job Search Journey

Written by Melinda Wildes, Midcoast Workforce Specialist 

Person sitting on beach while the sun rises

Take a deep breath. Your job search is a process that requires tremendous focus, energy, and centering. So many times, we default to “panic mode” when it is most counter-productive! Life is a long journey on a winding road, not a short race on a straight course, and so is this part of your life journey.

Prepare for the Journey

As with any long and arduous journey, you need to prepare and provision yourself before you set out. Do you have the basic tools and equipment you need to continue for weeks and even months?

Preparing to Take Care of Yourself

Here are some ways to think about preparing to take care of yourself:

1. Cover the basics! Plan on a schedule for each day of the week. Balance productive effort with enough time for recharging. Create a structure for your week and for each day. Plan breaks for exercise, rest, reflection, and connection.

2. Connect with yourself first. What are your goals for the next job? What is the next part of your career path? Take time to reflect and define your life and work priorities. Learn to recognize opportunities that are compatible with your most important values.

3. Don’t go it alone! Extend your endurance capacity by connecting with others. Share what you are doing with those in your natural support network. Also, focus on building a special support network for this time by finding others who will help you. These may include professionals such as a New Ventures Workforce Specialist. You may also want to connect with others who are on a similar journey.

This African proverb holds a truth for the job search: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” You may find you can travel further than you first thought possible.

Looking for more guidance?  Check out our upcoming tuition-free workshops and classes near you!