One problem job seekers have is going from an office environment that was designed for you to do your job, where your time was structured, to going HOME, and not having any design or structure.
You don’t have to get up at any time. You don’t have to shower, or brush your teeth or hair. You don’t have to talk to anyone on the phone, you don’t have to check your email… you don’t have to do anything.
This type of freedom, or non-accountability, can be confusing and depressing. You might feel unneeded, unwanted, useless.
I know, because I was there.
I encourage you to have the right mindset from the beginning. Realize you are empowered to control your schedule, activities and outcome!
Prepare your home office. This might be a couch, or a dedicated room. Don’t hide away in your office. Try to not get distracted taking breaks (you might never stop taking breaks!).
Don’t allow honey-do’s to take up your day. Your number one job is to get back on track, and if you find yourself doing dishes, or painting or fixing or cleaning, you might be hiding from your job search. Hiding means delaying.
I know how weird it can be to have this amount of freedom and power over every minute of your day. I challenge you to think of yourself as a highly-effective job seeker who makes smart decisions and reduces time-wasting activities (like surfing around news and social networking sites).
It’s a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity! Set it up intentionally, and with purpose!
