Searching for a job can be a daunting task. It can easily take a toll on one’s mental health. And when you receive rejection after rejection after sending in application after application, it can be disheartening. The motivation fails after awhile. So, here are three unique ways you can motivate yourself for the job search.
Motivate Yourself through Music
There’s an old idiom that nature is the music of life. The point is that we can appreciate and motivate ourselves by listening to something as we work. For many people, popular music will do the trick. Here’s an idea: the next time you have trouble with self motivation, take the time to create a playlist of songs that pump you up. This playlist is your personal experience, all wrapped up in a few dozen songs. You are in charge of the genres, the tempo, the grove. Be the conductor of your own life and motivate yourself with music.
Visit a “Third Space” to Get Out of a Funk
When you are in a funk regarding job searching, one of the best things you can do is to go elsewhere. If you apply for jobs at home, go someplace else. Libraries are good choices: quite atmosphere, general privacy, good internet. But maybe that’s not your scene? Instead, head to a coffee shop or restaurant that has an environment conducive to focus and/or co-working. Sometimes getting out of the house is all you need to gain that spark of motivation.
The point of this is to “trick” your mind into wanting to search for jobs. Reward yourself after each application with a walk among the library’s stacks or with a pastry from the donut shop. Take time to indulge yourself a little bit, making the job search outing a fun, enjoyable experience. And, when you are done, take a walk through nature and enjoy the music of life. We all need a “third space,” a place outside of work and home, to get by in our lives.
Motivate Yourself with an Accountability Partner
Do you know someone else looking for a job? Maybe you could team up with them to be accountability partners. An accountability partner is a specially designated friend that helps you keep your promises or desired goals. Through regular check-ins, motivational messages, and celebratory gatherings, they help you achieve what you could only dream of. In return, you do the same for them.
By having an accountability partner, not only to you keep a promise to yourself, but also someone else. Want a new job by Christmas? Well, you better start cranking out applications. What interviews do you have lined up, and when, and are you prepared for them? These are the types of motivational messages we all need from time to time as we care for our mental health while progressing towards our goals.