Staying motivated during a frustrating job search is hard.

Old advice was to 'treat your job search like a job,' and work it 9-5 every day, but that can quickly lead to burnout. In today's crazy world, finding balance is key.

Here are some things I've found useful

𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 I realized I was more productive in concentrated bursts of a few hours, so I searched and applied in the morning, centered around when the daily ZenSearch new job matches notification arrived, and right after lunch.

By the end of the day, I needed to do something different and spent that time reading and learning or prepping for interviews. Find what works for you, and stick to it— consistency is calming.

𝗗𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 Find a hobby or physical activity that demands all your attention. Something that requires you to concentrate so strongly that there's no space to worry about your search...check out for a bit.

For me, yoga is my daily hour to pause everything else and reset. Maybe you're a rock climber, woodworker, or knitter. Make the time to take a daily mental break.

𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 At home, alone on your couch, it's easy to sink into a bad place. I committed to getting out and seeing someone at least once a week. I've gone on walks with former colleagues (including some I barely knew when we worked together), hung out with friends I had lost touch with, and grabbed coffee with the person doing yoga next to me.

It's given me something to look forward to, built my support system, and strengthened my network. And I've made some new friends (and let's face it, friends are crucial during this frustrating time).

𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 Sure, things are scary and money's probably tight, but small indulgences help keep things 'normal'. I'm not talking about anything splurgy or expensive. I love red licorice, Sudoku books, and wild nail polish from Dollar Tree. It doesn't have to cost much, it just needs to give you a little lift.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 Sometimes, you need to know you're not alone in this. I've started attending a few weekly networking sessions. Initially, I went to promote ZenSearch, but it's become an opportunity to meet other people who "get it," commiserate, and do something positive.

I've made introductions, given feedback on resumes, and proposed how to align experiences to an unrelated field. Helping others distracts you from your situation (if only for a few minutes) and it feels good!

𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 Since ZenSearch ONLY shows jobs that match your preferences, EVERY JOB is what you're looking for, making them all great ones to apply to! We send fresh, newly posted opportunities daily, eliminating the 'search' and keeping you motivated.

Check us out at ZenSearch.jobs and share our platform with anyone looking for something new. Together, we can make job searching a little more zen.