How to Search for a Job While You’re Depressed
Depression can impact people in different ways. However, one of the most common symptoms is a lack of motivation, along with extreme fatigue. For some, depression can make it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, let alone search for a new job. But, if you’re in need of employment, you don’t have much of a choice when it comes to putting yourself out there and looking for a new career path.
Thankfully, you don’t have to let your depression keep you from getting excited about your search. More importantly, you don’t have to let it keep you from looking for a job you want and deserve.
Let’s cover a few tips you can use as you go through your job search, so you can feel more motivated, more confident in yourself, and less hopeless and helpless about your situation.
Anticipate the Highs and Lows
If you know you need to start searching for jobs, you might find a rush of excitement in your first few days. That can boost your motivation and your mood. After a while, it can be fun applying to different positions you’re interested in, and the excitement and anticipation of hearing back from businesses can make the task of searching seem less overwhelming.
While it’s important to accept that excitement, it’s also essential to understand how depression often works in waves. After a while, you might also start to experience some low points in your search. Maybe you haven’t heard back from anyone, so you start to doubt yourself. Negative self-talk can cause your symptoms to become worse. When you anticipate these highs and lows, it’ll be easier to accept them at face value, so your symptoms won’t swing to extremes.
Lean On Your Support System
If you start to feel overwhelmed by your job search, reach out to the people in your life for help. They might not be able to do your search for you, but they can lift you up, make you feel heard and understood, and boost your mood.
A support system is essential to remind you that you aren’t alone in how you feel. You don’t have to go through things on your own. When you recognize that, thanks to your loved ones, you can start to feel “recharged” and get back to your search with more motivation and confidence.
Learn to Manage Your Symptoms
If you’ve been struggling with depression for a while, you probably know what triggers more severe symptoms and what helps them feel less intense. Ensure you’re utilizing that information and any helpful techniques throughout your job search to keep those hopeless thoughts from taking over. If you’re not sure what works, try some of the following to get started:
Meditation
Mindfulness
Exercising
Journaling
Yoga
Even finding ways to keep busy can help you manage your symptoms more effectively. That doesn’t mean ignoring how you feel. But, if you recognize that you’re having a particularly difficult day, consider taking a break from your job search for a few hours to do something you typically enjoy and something that will keep your mind occupied.
Seek Professional Help
There’s no denying a job search can exacerbate the symptoms of your depression, especially if you’re already down about being out of work. However, one of the best things you can do to combat those feelings is to get to the root cause of the depression itself. A therapist can help with that. Once you understand where your depression stems from, you can learn more effective management skills while working through it.
If you’re struggling to look for a job while managing your depression, don’t hesitate to reach out for help or more information if you have any questions. Your depression doesn’t define you and doesn’t have to keep you from getting the career you want.
