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Staying emotionally fit when looking for a new job

There is no doubt that searching for a new role can be emotionally draining. Everyone tells you to stay positive but, in reality, that can be really hard to do, especially when you are in a hurry to move roles or find a new role after being made redundant. It is a roller coaster as you move from a positive interview to rejection, which can repeat itself many times over.

So how do you stay emotionally fit when you just want to eat your weight in chocolate and wash it down with a bottle of wine?

Acknowledge your feelings

Firstly, it helps to acknowledge how you are feeling in a situation. Are you overwhelmed, sad, fearful, optimistic, hopeful? Regardless of if the emotion is positive or negative, feel it and acknowledge it because what you are feeling is OK and normal.

Remember you have full control over your emotions and the actions that stem from those emotions. Imagine this scenario: you wake up feeling like you haven’t had enough sleep, you stub your toe on the end of the bed, you discover you’ve run out of bread and milk so that means no breakfast for you. Your favourite shirt is unironed when means adding more time that you don’t have to iron it (and now you’ll probably be late for work). You finally get out the door after spilling coffee on your pants whilst struggling to get the door open with all your bags. You get stuck in traffic about 5 minutes into your trip then struggle to find a car park when you do finally get to work.

Chances are you’d be feeling pretty crappy and in turn be in a bad mood which will impact the rest of your day and everyone’s around you.

Or you can decide that your negative start can be turned around and all the bad stuff is behind you. You slap a smile on your face and decide to be happy and forget the last 1-2 hours. Option 2 sounds much better, doesn’t it?

The same applies to how you feel about your job search. Once you have acknowledged how you feel, put a smile on your face, pump up some positive music and get into a much nicer mental state.

Look at your diet

Your health and fitness plays a role in your emotions. You probably feel like eating potato chips, guzzling soft drinks (or alcohol) and sleeping all day. But the opposite is what is required in this circumstance. Getting 8 hours sleep a night and eating a nutritious diet can make you feel happier as you are giving your body the nutrients it needs.

Get your exercise on

Exercise in particular, is one of the best remedies. Exercise gives you endorphins and endorphins make you happy. That is a scientific fact! I am not saying you need to run a marathon but getting some exercise, even a light walk each day, can make you feel happier and less emotional instantly.

Don’t take it personally

Rejection isn’t fun but we have all been there at some stage. You might feel invisible at times when a recruiter or employer isn’t getting back to you. There are many reasons why they might not be responding so don’t let your mind imagine all sorts of scenarios. Just continue your job search as you have been doing and if you are right for the role, the recruiter or employer will be in touch.

Friend therapy

If you need an instant pick me up, a good place to start is by calling a good friend who you know will give you the ego & emotional boost you might be needing. Spending time with friends who uplift and support you aka: friend therapy, is a cure for most ailments, including the job search blues.

You have the power within you to change how you are feeling so use these tips to turn your frown upside down. One final note – believe in yourself and your ability and stay focused on what you want and you can make it happen.