Why Self Care is a Legitimate Job Search Strategy
As a career coach, I spend a lot of time talking about tangible steps to advance your career or nail the job search or job interview. Things like updating your LinkedIn profile, networking, investing in career development, things like that. However, there are some intangibles that can have just as big an impact. The one thing I see people overlook time and time again, especially in the middle of a stressful or high stakes job search, is self care.
Before you go rolling your eyes, hear me out. I’m not talking about manicures and bubble baths, not necessarily (unless that’s the thing that makes you feel unstoppable). I know that “self care” is one of those buzz words you see everywhere these days. It’s hard to nail down what that really means or what the actual value of this time can be in your life. That’s what I want to explain in this blog post.
What is Self Care?
To me, self care is all about investing in yourself. For you, that might not be a charcoal bubble mask and a glass of wine on a Friday night. Instead, it might be a weekend away in a secluded airbnb to center yourself and find a sense of calm before embarking on a job search. Self care is simply a mindful way of caring for yourself so you can be the best version of YOU that YOU can be.
What does that look like in everyday life? If done well, it looks like this:
Being able to recognize when you’re feeling stretched too thin, and then responding to that feeling by slowing down or asking for help.
Getting a healthy amount of sleep, exercise, and rest. Feeding your body the food it needs to function at its best and of course, drinking enough water.
Knowing how you like to decompress and making time in your life for those things. Often, that means planning ahead and setting boundaries with the people in your life.
Loving yourself and putting yourself first. It might seem selfish to take a walk in the park alone when your family needs you, but as they say, “self care is not selfish.” When you feel your best, you are more emotionally available for the people who depend on you.
Let’s Face It, We’re Stressed Out
Obviously, we’re all feeling more stressed than usual right now. At the time I’m writing this, it’s early 2021 and we’re still in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Unemployment is high and financially, many of us are being stretched beyond our comfort zones. But, even before all this happened, many of us were feeling stressed out.
In fact, a 2019 Gallup study compiled by The American Institute of Stress found that “over half of the American population experience stress during the day” with a shocking 83% of US workers stating that they feel they suffer from work-related stress. 61% of respondents in a 2017 survey by AIS said their most common source of stress was their job. A 2014 study listed “Job Pressure” as the number one stressor, with 30% of respondents stating they are “always” or “often” under stress at work.
I could keep going back in time and I’m sure I would find the same results. We’ve been stressed for a while, and I really do believe that self-care is what is going to get us out of this mess.
Is It Time To Invest In Yourself?
Yes! The answer is yes. If you haven’t been doing a great job of taking care of yourself, I want you to sit down and list five ways you’re going to practice self-care this week. These don’t have to be big things. It might be as simple as taking a walk around the block on your lunch hour each day this week or going to bed 30 minutes earlier than you normally do.
If you’re about to embark on a career change, what are you going to do to keep your “cup” full while you go through this process? Often, people get tunnel vision as soon as they actively start to look for a new job, and their goal is just to land the offer as quickly as possible. Yes, landing a dream opportunity is often a “numbers game” but that doesn’t mean you need to submit 100 resumes a day without taking a break until you get the offer you want. It’s getting out or staying in meeting people, telling them who you are, what you do and adding value to them.
I urge you to consider adding a few “self care days” into your job search. It’s so easy to get burned out and once you hit that wall, you’re just not going to be as sharp or as charming in your interviews. Being the best version of yourself is one of those intangibles that can really impact your chances of landing a job you love, and it very well could impact the compensation package you’re offered!
Ready to Thrive?
I believe in self care so much that I created my Thrive Career Coaching Accelerator with that concept in mind. I really wanted there to be an option for people with big career goals to invest mindfully in themselves. These are stressful times and embarking on a career change all alone can really impact your mental health. I created a safe space to get personalized help and support from someone who really knows the process inside and out.
Because of my experience helping mid- to senior-level professionals land their dream opportunities, I can break down the steps into bite-sized pieces so you can act with intention and avoid the overwhelm that so often comes with a job search like this. If you want to learn more, you can click here and find out how to apply for the next cohort!