Break Time

I'm temporarily taking a break today from the job search to spend some quality time on cleaning and creative endeavors.  As important as it is for me to focus on finding work, there comes a time when a breather is necessary.  So I'm doing just this and taking a guilt-free brief break.  It feels incredibly liberating.  Today, I will not be chained to Craigslist, Indeed, Mediabistro or Monster.  I refuse to be tied down to my laptop or enslaved to email.  I shall cease incessantly checking my cell phone for voicemail messages.  And I will enjoy the day in its fullest. 

I'm not quite sure what's led me to this break.  Perhaps I need a change of pace in my daily routine, which usually consists of a 7 a.m. rise time, a cup of tea and a bit of breakfast while watching my favorite morning show on television, and a shower around 8 a.m.  I'm usually dressed and ready to go on the job hunt by nine -- that is, if I don't opt for a morning trek on the boardwalk beforehand, depending on my mood and the weather.  The remainder of the morning, the whole of the afternoon (save for lunch, of course), and a chunk of the evening is devoted to job-searching, cover letter-composing, and blogging about related matters.  Since I'm not a big television viewer, I don't have the lure of game shows, soap operas, and gossip programs to distract me, so I'm usually pretty focused on the task at hand.  (Yes, I'm very disciplined.)  Hopefully, this discipline will extend itself to today's vow to disconnect from my laptop, cell phone, email, and favorite job-search websites -- although I'm not counting on it.  But I will try.

This meticulous, ultra-disciplined approach is a strategy which has worked well in the past during prior layoffs, so naturally I'm hoping to repeat the success.  The end result is that I've gone on a few interviews in the past month, so I don't feel as though I've been completely forgotten by workplace society, but obviously I'm hoping to land something soon.  I'm getting antsy and being out of professional action doesn't suit my overactive nature.  But in the meantime, I'm stepping back today to clear my mind, concentrate on unrelated matters, and just have a little fun for a change.  The weather's beautiful, so why shouldn't I get out and enjoy it?  After all, there's nothing worse than being cooped up at home alone with only your thoughts for company.  So what's on today's agenda?  Nothing terribly exciting.  Paying bills.  Cleaning.  Gathering bags of clothing to donate to the local thrift shop in town.  Scrapbooking.  Just relaxing and -- as I said before -- enjoying the day in its fullest. 

A Pensive Constitutional

I've been working hard at staying motivated during this unfortunate lapse of employment, spending much quality time at the boardwalk.  My motivation is actually two-fold.  I walk for my health -- not just my physical health, but also, my mental health.  It keeps me fit and focused, and it also takes my mind off my troubles.  When I'm walking by the water, I feel energized, eager, and alert.  I want to send resumes, I want to blog with the best of 'em, and I can't wait to tackle household projects.  I'm ready to take on the world -- a feeling which, unfortunately, doesn't always follow me home.  But it sure feels good while it lasts.

As I walk, I also people-watch.  I usually briefly fixate on a face and attach (in my mind) a supposed name and backstory to that person.  It's good exercise for the imagination as well as the body.  Occasionally, peoples' identities are inadvertently revealed as they stop and greet family, friends or neighbors on the boardwalk and are greeted in return, often by name.  In any event, all this brings to mind my recent encounter with a man I privately dubbed as the "Mayor of Town".

I was in good spirits that day.  It was sunny, the breeze was gentle, and the radio airwaves were filled with lively and inspiring tunes on the drive over.  I had never realized just how motivational a tune ELO's Don't Bring Me Down is until that day.  (I also pondered the identity of the mysterious Bruce referenced in the song, but according to the good folks at Wikipedia, that's another story for another day.)  I parked down at the far end of the boardwalk and began my trek, eager to move.

As I strode, I took note of my fellow walkers.  The elderly couple taking things slow.  The trio of bicyclists.  Best friends laughing and joking.  New mothers pushing their baby carriages at an enviable clip.  College students, retirees, and seemingly unemployed souls like myself, strolling and striving to stay motivated.  The one thing that appeals to me most about the boardwalk is that it is such an equalizer.  There are all walks of life to be found on a boardwalk.  Everyone congregates in that one place for some version of the same purpose -- a pensive constitutional -- but everyone moves by way of their own method, by their own motivation, and at their own proper pace.  There is, after all, no singular way to walk on a boardwalk.  It's an individual thing. 

The Mayor of Town appeared midway through my walk at the main entrance, laughing and joking with two fellow cronies.  He was nondescript in appearance, probably in his early 60s.  I never learned his name.  I just nicknamed him the Mayor of Town on account of his demeanor -- friendly and outgoing.  This man seemed to know just about everyone he passed and if he could've shaken hands and kissed babies, politico-style, he would've done it.  I prefer solitude when strolling, so I tried not to make eye contact, but there was something intriguing about the Mayor of Town, something to learn about him and something to be learned from him.  It may have been his impressive stamina as he walked.  Many people in his age group aren't physically able to keep his impressive pace.  Perhaps it was his friendly, positive demeanor as he very much seemed to be a man of the people, stopping and chatting with many as he made his way down the boardwalk.  But I believe the most impressive thing about the Mayor of Town was his sheer love for the great outdoors.  It was easy to see that he was basking in his seaside surroundings, loving the fresh air as well as the freedom that comes from being out in it. 

I am in awe and envy of this energetic, exuberant gentleman.  He will never know this, of course, but whomever this man may be, he is an inspiration.

Staying Motivated

This is for all the lonely job-seekers out there...

It's so important to stay motivated while searching for a job.  It's also incredibly difficult, given the current job market.  Certainly, I've had days rife with discouragement where it's a struggle to send out resumes, knowing that most of them will be immediately deleted from someone's inbox before they're seriously scrutinized.  It's not personal, and it isn't because I'm unqualified.  It's simply that competition is extraordinarily tight, and as good as the credentials on any given resume may be, there's always going to be someone out there whose credentials are even more impressive.  It's an employer's market these days and hiring companies have a range of quality job candidates from which to select.  So how does one stay motivated when it feels like you've been forgotten by the world?  It isn't easy, but it really is crucial to stay in a proper, professional frame of mind.

A positive attitude can carry a job-seeker far.  I know this from personal experience.  When I was laid off in 2008 from a proofreading position that I'd held at a midsize firm for nearly 3-1/2 years, it was en masse, as I was joined by roughly 40-plus of my fellow employees.  As we received our respective pink slips and glumly exited the premises, one of the IT guys -- who'd just lost his job -- called out above the crowd and proclaimed, "Remember, when a door closes, a window opens!"  It was a simple cliche, but it needed to be said and it immediately changed the mood in the room for the better.  We were still shell-shocked about the loss of employment, but we were better able to cope, as we had been given the priceless gifts of hope and comfort.  And this guy really did practice what he preached because he kept a positive attitude all throughout his job search and was the first in our layoff group to find work six weeks later.

Now I'm sure you're thinking that the IT guy had all the right credentials, and since there's a constant demand in the IT industry for qualified folk, he wasn't in any long-term danger of remaining unemployed.  But the truth of the matter is that this man does not have a Bachelor's degree.  He has years of experience, but lacks the educational validation.  But ultimately, the education issue was moot point as his best credential was -- and still is -- his positive attitude.  He has an unwavering belief in himself that he can find work, do the work, and do it well.  And he does, which is why his job search was both successful and short-lived. 

What is your coping mechanism?  If you're unemployed and discouraged about the job-search (and it's easy to be distressed), what has helped you deal with the reality of unemployment?  Or are you still searching for a way to stay motivated?  For me, the real lifesaver has been this blog.  It provides me with a sense of accomplishment, gives me a daily sense of purpose, and it's definitely a good thing to have on a resume.  It's a practical, economical pursuit as it helps keep my writing skills sharp and the only cost is the internet connectivity, which I need in any event so I can search for work and email those resumes -- a positive frame of mind fully intact.