Tips for Staying Stress Free During the Job Hunt

Though reports show that unemployment may finally and slowly be starting to level out it is still well over 10%. Looking for a job under any conditions can be a stressful endeavor but in an uncertain economy while competing with obscene amounts of other job seekers many people can find themselves under enormous amounts of stress while looking for work.

Not only is this unhealthy but the effects of stress can easily hinder your ability to find the right job, or any job. Stress can lower your self-esteem, your energy level, your ability to focus and your attitude. And attitude is the key to any job search. Here are a few tips to managing your stress while looking for work. It could mean the difference between finding the job the job you want and finding your self still looking for work.

• Meet people of your age who are also looking for work. Don’t look at people your own age as the competition, look at them as allies in the war against unemployment. Especially if you live in the same neighborhood, have kids that attend school, or intermingle in the same circles. They can give you a heads up to new opportunities, take turns watching kids during interviews, and just give you an understanding ear after a couple of hits in the job search.

• Specifically meet people with positive attitude and are realistic. No matter what the age of the people you’re around, negative folks can do nothing but drag you down. Both negative and positive attitudes are like a yawn. Both are incredibly catchy and your take in what the people around you are putting out there. Hang back from the friends who can’t find anything positive to bring to the conversation and spend more time on friends who are putting out a good attitude.

• Take long strolls everyday which will give you energy to speak better, write better and interact better with confidence. This will help keep you focused and keep your game sharp. It’s critical to take some reflective time to yourself every day.

• Do a 10-minute meditation – Simply gaze at a tree and watch it move in the breeze for about 10 minutes – do not think of anything else – this will give your mind a bit of rest to gather energy and positive attitude. Nothing conquers a high stress level better then meditation each and every day.

• Take your food in regular time everyday and do not waver from your regimen of taking food or doing exercise or meditation everyday. Remember that as your health decreases your stress level increases. So keep your diet healthy and exercise as much as possible. Whether it is at the gym or just a 15-minute yoga routine at home.

If you keep yourself focused and don’t let stress get the better of you, you will continue new ideas in your job search and new confidence. 2009 is almost over – may the New Year yield you that dream job your looking for.