In my previous post I confessed that I quit my job. Honestly, it’s not something I’m proud of because it was a job I took with a lot of hope in seeing my future there. Turns out, looks can be deceiving even when it comes to being hired.
Just because I left on my own free will doesn’t mean I have a huge emergency fund to let me do whatever I want or that I should be spending time relaxing. I still need to “work” while I’m looking for work. I know it may be difficult for some of you out there in a similar position. You may have chosen to leave or you may have been forced out. What I’m about to share applies to either side of the coin.
It’s easy to sleep in when you’re not committed to a 9-5. When I was working I woke up at 5:30am or 6am and started my morning. Now, I can wake up at 12 if I really wanted to. I could, but it doesn’t mean I should. Check out my tips below for staying motivated, job searching, and feeling accomplished despite being in a kind of limbo in your life right now.
Maria’s Tips:
- Get up early. My wake up time is now between 7am-8am and I do set my alarm. This helps keep you ready for a shift back into the working world.
- Get ready as if you were going somewhere to set your mood and mind. For me this means showering in the morning, drying my hair, putting on comfy clothes such as jeans and a top, and doing light make up.
- Buy yourself a cheap planner or use your phone calendar. I schedule things each day. I do this even if it’s repetitive. Example: job search. I job search every day. It could be ten minutes or an hour, but I need to be doing it. By scheduling things like reading a few chapters from your book, cleaning, or grocery shopping, it helps us “put it in stone” and we exercise our discipline to complete these items to check them off.
- Take time to do what you’ve wanted to do, but haven’t done for whatever reason. Volunteer, organize your important papers, do a home project you’ve put off, declutter, sell your things on various apps such as the Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, or LetGo.
- Revise your resume and apply everywhere that suits you. I also recommend going to every job interview possible even if you may not be interested. This keeps your interview skills sharp and helps you plan better for the next interview you encounter.
Stay tuned to my next post where I will be discussing emergency funds.
What other recommendations do you have for staying motivated and proactive during a period of transition in your life?
-Maria