Let’s face it, regardless of market conditions searching for a new job can be a stressful and anxiety-producing activity. As time passes the pressure seems to ramp up, compounded by a pile of job applications and an ever-growing weight on our shoulders.
Throw a recession or a pandemic into the mix and the stress of looking for a new job can reach new heights. Those previously of an upbeat and optimistic nature can find themselves snapping at the smallest things and suffering from an array of mixed and negative feelings many of which just can’t be explained. A job offer is the only salvation!
Looking for a new job is typically never a fun or easy task to complete. But it doesn’t have to be this way. For those who embark on their job hunt with a methodical and meticulous approach it is totally possible to manage job search stress anxiety and actually use these emotions to up your game, becoming empowered by the challenge and opportunities available.
Wherever you are in your job search journey, this guide hopes to steer you through the murky waters, putting you in the right frame of mind for positive success and a stress-free job search.
Reducing Stress
Reducing stress is about adopting new behaviors that not only help you deal with your current stresses, but also help you cope when stress does occur again. The best way to reduce stress in your life is to adopt new behavior patterns in your life that lead to a stress reduction. The good news is that this type of behavior modification works for many people, even though it sounds counterintuitive as one would imagine that stability is best to reduce stress. In all honesty, a great way to reduce the amount of stress you are dealing with is to pinpoint exactly what the source of your stress is and to pinpoint a solution for this.
For example, if your source of stress is the approaching deadline for a specific job, your solution may be as simple as planning out exactly which days you will be working on which task. Specifically, this means that your solution includes two parts: planning and being disciplined enough to respect the deadlines you set up for yourself. Of course, this is just an example, but the key idea here is to change the things that contribute to your stress by replacing them with solutions.
It's not always easy to pinpoint the exact source of your stress, therefore I’d recommend spending some quiet time (away from the kids, Netflix and other distractions) to really hone in on what’s causing concern. I find walking helps me to reduce stress (Harvard back me up here), it allows me to play through different ideas and scenarios as I soak up the fresh air and activity. This might not be for you but discover a release that works for you, it won’t just help you in this current job search but it may well set you up for a future of brighter well being.
Chronic Stress
One of the best ways to deal with long-term or chronic stress is through the process of change management. This involves finding those stressors that lead you to have a constant, negative reaction to and not ignoring them, but looking for a long-term solution instead. Each time you ignore a stressor, you are reducing your stress level for a short period of time. For example, if you forget to pay a bill many days in a row and keep remembering it and thinking “I need to pay this soon” and feel a ping of stress but then choose to push it away, you simply push the stress away for the short time being. Instead, focus on longer-term stress reduction.
When it comes to job hunting, this chronic stress can be related to having to constantly deal with high stress levels due to being scared of being turned down from the places you apply to. If this is the case, try asking yourself the following:
What is the worst case scenario that can emerge from this situation?
What do I have to lose if I do not apply out of fear?
What can I do to reduce this fear?
What can I do to reduce this stress?
‘The Magic of Thinking Big’ by David Schwartz, PHD, is a beautiful read for those looking for actionable techniques. Although it was written in 1959 it’s a real classic and still offers so much good advice. I typically re-read my copy every 12 months to refresh the grey matter. It doesn’t directly address stress but rather covers happiness, positivity and success. Here is just one of many amazing quotes David gives us…
Reducing your chronic stress levels can have a tremendous long term effect on your physical and mental health. Your health will improve dramatically just by making a few habitual changes to how you respond to stress. Remember engaging in stress-relieving practices such as exercise or meditating is always going to be a winner!
Reducing Anxiety
Anxiety is a common and expected reaction to an undesirable situation. In some cases, anxiety is beneficial. A moderate amount of stress can help motivate you to step out of your comfort zone and take on new challenges, such as the stress you feel before a big deadline that pushes you to work those long hours to produce a high-quality assignment.
But with anxiety, it’s different, you can feel anxious completely irrationally and without being able to pinpoint the reason for it. If you tend to have anxiety about job searching, it's time to find out what is causing it. Once you know the cause of your anxiety, you can take a step towards eliminating it from your life for good.
Impacts of Anxiety
Anxiety can affect your mood, emotions, and mental well-being. Long term you are going to have to learn how to manage anxiety if you want to become successful at handling your feelings of anxiety in your job search.
Anxiety can be debilitating if you let it take over you; this is where being mindful of the rational stressors in your life and the irrational anxiety you may be feeling can impact your motivation to do certain things or the extent to which you feel comfortable enough to apply for a given job. This requires you to realise when you are experiencing anxious feelings and then focus on something else.
Divert Your Thoughts
For instance, instead of focusing on your fears you can divert your attention to an object or event that makes you feel more confident and calm. Thus, the first task you may have is to think of a place where you feel at peace and to practice “going to this place” when you feel anxious (such as going to the beach in your mind).
There are many ways to manage anxiety in the present moment and we have only touched the surface of some of them. It is certainly true that you can do it alone, but if you are experiencing a long-term problem with your mental health, it is recommended that you look into seeking professional help from a professional mental health professional. You may just discover that the anxiety treatment options available to you are much more extensive than you thought.
Anxiety Reduction Techniques
But if you are trying for quick, to-the-point and effective ways to lower your anxiety levels, here are a few:
Staying active is one of the best ways to give your body a natural mood enhancer and to reduce your stress and anxiety levels.
Cut down on your alcohol consumption as this can increase anxiety.
Stop smoking which also contributes to anxiety. You may think that it reduces your stress, but this is only due to deep breathing. Try meditating and deep breathing instead.
Cut caffeine as it contributes to anxiety.
Watch your sleeping hours; do you sleep enough? Lack of sleep can lead to more anxiety.
Finally, make sure to have a healthy diet as a bad diet leads to feeling bad in your body; you really are what you eat!
On that note, I hope you found this article helpful! Make sure to first focus on staying calm, reducing your stress and anxiety levels and be mindful when you start your job search. Being confident in your abilities and in what you have to offer to an employer is key, but being calm and well-composed when applying will help you reduce the number of errors you might make. So, take a deep breath, keep calm and get going!
