Don't Forget About Self-Care
Finding employment can be very stressful. There’s resumes to build, interviews to nail, cover letters to perfect, and of course, applications to fill out. While each one of these steps is crucial to finding employment, there’s one thing we want to make sure you don’t forget and that’s self-care.
Having the right mindset and feeling your best will help you attract your dream employer and set the stage for positive thinking and overcoming every obstacle that comes your way.
So, before you let the stress mess with your head, below you will find some easy-to-implement tips and tricks to practice self-care and ease your tension.
Get Moving
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to practice self-care, in fact most self-care options are completely free. That’s why the first option on our list is exercise. You can watch free videos on YouTube, go for walks out in nature, or simply step away from your computer and do some stretches. It’s good for both your mind and your body to take little breaks and get moving.
Take a Breath
You don’t have to be a yogi to pause for some breathwork. We highly encourage practicing some breathing exercises when you’re feeling stressed. In fact, The American Institute of Stress found that breath work is a top recommendation for relieving your stress. There are several ways you can practice breath work, from guided breathing in apps like Calm or YouTube to simply pausing from your day to focus on a slow and steady breath. It’s amazing how such a simple strategy can greatly affect your stress levels like lowering cortisol, relaxing your mind, and even slowing down anxious thoughts.
Get Outside
It’s also amazing what a quick hike or day out in nature can do for your mindset. It might seem counterproductive to take a day off and play outside, but bringing it back to basics is a great way to recharge, unwind, and relieve some stress. So, get outside, bring a friend, and let nature do its work for you.
Little Rewards
After successfully submitting more applications and digging into your job search, don’t forget to reward yourself. That might mean a relaxing bath, treating yourself to your favorite meal, or even buying a new interview outfit that makes you feel confident. Little rewards help rewire your brain to assign a positive feeling towards your job seeking accomplishments.
Shift Your Mindset
Don’t let the stress take over and bring you down. Simple shifts in your mindset can make a huge difference when it comes to self-care. Avoid feeling overwhelmed by creating little milestones and tasks that will not only help you find a job but allow you to celebrate even the smallest win. Every step forward is a step forward, so don’t be too hard on yourself.
Ask for Help
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or lost, take advantage of mycareeradvisor.com or one of our many career centers. It’s ok to ask for help and we offer no-cost career services to anyone in the community. We can help you build a resume, connect to local hiring events, practice for an interview, and more.
Also, don’t forget to use your personal resources like family and friends. You never know what professional connections they might have, and it’s good not to isolate yourself when looking for employment.
