It’s easy to forget about your well-being when you’re looking for a new job. You’re focused on finding the right job roles, putting together a portfolio, and preparing for the dreaded interview questions. There’s no time for a Korean snail face mask.
However, you have to remember that the job hunt requires you to be physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. That’s the only way you could filter the best workplaces and present your best foot forward to the HR team.
So while you’re saving vacancies on your job profile, here are some self-care steps that will keep your mind and body in tip-top shape.
Stick to a Daily Schedule
When you’re not preparing to show up at the office, you’re easy prey to a routine in disarray. You don’t have to get up early in the morning, so you sleep in (and sleep extremely late at night). You don’t have to get dressed or fix your hair, so you might not think too much about your grooming.
Self-care is all about being attuned to the needs of your body. No matter how tempting it sounds, your body will not get anything out of staying in bed and eating sugar for breakfast. Create a daily schedule that will force you to get up and get moving. Set an alarm to get out of bed in the morning, make yourself a delicious breakfast, and allot a couple of hours in the day to search for jobs.
Do something nice for yourself, too. Watch a movie, eat charcoal ice cream, and re-read your favorite book. Just make sure you’re sticking to the schedule. Follow a proper bedtime, too, as this would regulate your sleeping pattern and help you get up earlier in the morning. You’ll have more energy to face the HR teams, answer even the toughest employee integrity tests, and respond to interview questions.
Go Outside
Sunshine does wonders for your health. The sun rays trigger certain parts of the retina in the eyes, which could trigger a release of serotonin, the happy hormone. This explains why standing in the sunlight can give you a mood boost. It also helps build strong bones and healthy skin.
Even if your job application is online, find the time to go outside and get a bit of fresh air. Quarantine protocols permitting, go to green spaces where you can walk around, stretch your legs, and get a dose of sunlight. You don’t have to do anything productive — just simply take a stroll. Get off the grid for a while because staring at the screen for hours on end can dampen anyone’s mood.
Go for a bike ride, go camping, or plant more vegetables in your garden. Your body will thank you.
Explore New Hobbies
If you’re allotting only five to six hours a day for job hunting, that means you have plenty of hours to explore something new. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to try, now is the time. If there’s a place you’ve always wanted to visit, this is your chance to visit it.
Job hunting is a time for self-reflection — a time to rediscover what you can do. While you are busy carving out a path in your professional life, don’t stop enriching your personal life, too. Try making that challenging recipe, learn that choreography, or study that language. These hobbies will give you something to talk about during the interview, too.
Job hunting is a struggle for many because you often find yourself questioning your own worth. However, your job (or the absence thereof) is not a reflection of your worth. If anything, the hunt is a time to rediscover your worth. Keep practicing self-care, so you have the mental clarity and physical energy to find your place in your field.