It’s Saturday morning. And since you’re out of work right now, it’s time to wake up and face a day that looks, in many ways, just like a Friday or a Monday.
But while you spend your weekdays searching job boards for open positions, attending networking events, and having lunch with your contacts, Saturdays aren’t quite as productive…or are they?
Here are five ways you can make the most of your weekend job search time without sacrificing non-work obligations to your friends, family, home, and life:
- Connect with people—in person. This is a vital activity for everyone and a necessary component of balanced mental and emotional health. But it’s especially important for those who are out of work, since unemployment can be insidiously isolating. During the week, commuters may be rushing past all around you, engaging in urgent conversations with each other about busy, busy things. But on the weekends, you owe it to yourself to close this gap, get out of the house, and schedule some face time with your friends. If you can’t afford a movie, sushi dinner, or a ski weekend, at least schedule a cup of coffee or a walk.
- Tidy up. Put your world in order, so when you sit down to tackle the job search on Monday, you’ll do so in a clean, organized environment that refreshes and motivates you instead of dragging you down.
- Think back. What were you doing before all of this? Before you found yourself navigating this detour on the road of life, what were your primary passions and goals? Were you focused on writing a novel, fixing a vintage car, or introducing your child to some fascinating aspect of your world like baseball or baking? Get back to that. It’s still sitting there, waiting on hold while sort out your employment situation. On Saturdays, take some time to remember your larger mission.
- Lay the groundwork for the week ahead. Don’t let Monday morning become an exhausting scramble. If you have two interviews scheduled this week, start planning, rehearsing, choosing your outfit, and doing whatever will make you feel motivated and ready when your moment (or moments) arrive.
- Be grateful. Take ten minutes to sit down and write a list of the people you need to thank, and the positive ways the situations and events around you are contributing to your interests.Play with your kids. Don’t just make sure they’re clean, healthy, and fed. Actually play with them. If you have a dog, schedule some Frisbee time at the park.
- Help someone else. Either lend a hand to a friend moving a couch down a set of stairs, or volunteer to give blood or work for a few hours at a food bank. This simple act will bring a strong sense of energy and wellbeing, and it may also help you find some necessary perspective.
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