Well Conquerors, it's back to the grindstone for a lot of us: back to work, back to school, back to real life.
If you are fortunate enough to have a job to come back from the summer holidays from, count yourself lucky. But for those of you finding yourself confused with the next steps in your life, read on!
If you are fortunate enough to have a job to come back from the summer holidays from, count yourself lucky. But for those of you finding yourself confused with the next steps in your life, read on!
Don't wait around for
opportunities to come to you, you have to go and find them.
This applies to so many different facets in life;
particularly when trying to find a job or attend a school of your choice.
We have been raised in a society which fosters the
development of entitlement. The educated and intelligent people pouring out of
universities and colleges (and high school even) expect that there will be a
job waiting for them.
It doesn't always work like that..
Now this isn't to crush dreams and hopes of ever finding
something stable and satisfying, but it certainly should serve as a reminder
of how to stay focused on things in your life that need immediate attention - especially when job searching.
In this current economy, the market is less favourable than it was in previous years. Even for those with degrees and experience.
For the average person, losing a job and then embarking on
the search for a new one is daunting enough.
For someone who deals with anxiety on a daily basis in a
variety of environments, losing a job or searching for a job can be extremely
stressful.
There are a few ways that you can take your challenging
situation and turn it around to give yourself a bit more power. You can quickly
get a sense of control over your situation by writing down three immediate,
short-term goals.
Each day, you can write out three things you need to
accomplish in order to move you forward in your situation (job-search, coping
with anxiety, going to work, whatever your struggle).
An example could be (for job-searching):
1) Polish resume and start a LinkedIn* account
2) Apply to 5 jobs at least (do not be picky, just apply,
apply, apply...).
3) Call friends and family and let them know you are
available to work – NETWORK!
An example for coping with anxiety or depression:
1) Call up a friend and meet for coffee – take small
challenges
2) Clean the dishes (or one dish; whatever you can manage)
3) Write in your journal
The most important rule for goal-setting when coping with
anxiety or depression is to ensure your goals have a 95% chance of being
reached. That is, if you write it, there is a 95% chance you will do it. If the chance you will succeed is less than that, reduce your expectations.
If you want to go for a walk, but there is not even a chance
you’ll get out the door, that goal is too high for you. Drop your goals until
they are within your 95% margin of possibility.
*LinkedIn is
useful for online and other applications – it serves as a quick way to
reference you when you are job searching. If you include it in the conclusion
of your cover letter, or in the contact area of your resume, chances are a
potential employer will check it out.
Make sure to
include your resume, any skills or talents, and a contact email (be wary about
including phone numbers on your online-profiles for safety).
