When you’re unemployed with a lot of time on your hands- you have more pressure. Mainly financial pressure, but looking for a job will make you think in days instead of decades.
You’ll want to hear back from that recruiter or hiring manager you chatted with on the phone two days ago. You’ll think about how you’ll make it another 30, 60, 90 days with the possibility of another paycheck not coming in. You’ll think a lot about those cold emails you sent to learn more about a job opportunity that didn’t elicit a response- just a read response.
I often have to remind myself to snap out of being impatient. I have to remember to think about my career and life on a longer time horizon. Dedicate time and energy to things that are less ephemeral but longer lasting.
So what are those things? Well to start I need to lay the foundation. Running has been a great foundation (currently shooting for 10-15mi a week on 2-3 runs). Reading and journaling have been good but not great- I need to be more consistent.
But more than just activities or hobbies and I want to find who I am, what I want to become, and understand what I’m working on for this next decade. Not just figuring out what I’m working on today or tomorrow.