Why Taking Breaks Is Good for Job Seekers

Why Taking Breaks Is Good for Job SeekersWhy Taking Breaks Is Good for Job Seekers1In a Bloomberg Businessweek article, Yahoos Marissa Mayer on Selling a Company While Trying to Turn It Around, Mayer states in an interview that Google employees would sometimes work 130 hours in a week, attributing this massive workload to Googles success. If youre wondering if thats even possible, Mayer insists that it is. She says The answer is yes, if youre strategic about when you sleep, when you shower, and how often you go to the bathroom.Now, you might think that if you spend all your time trying to finding a job, well, youll find one that much faster. Unfortunately, you wont. Something is bound to suffer (i.e., your sanity) and your productivity will only plummet, not grow.Heres why taking breaks is good for you- and your job search, tooIt gives you time to reassess.Sure, your objective is to find a flexible job as fast as you can. After all, not everyone enjoys the job search process, and if you can expedite it, why wouldnt you want to?Heres the thing if your end goal is to get hired, you need to first think about the type of job youre angling for. Do you really want the jobs that youre applying for, or are you stuck in a career rut? If you take some time, you might be able to reassess your job needs. Maybe you are ready for a career change, or perhaps you dont really want to work a full-time job anymora and would opt for a part-time schedule so you can spend some more time with your family.So before you pull an all-nighter and submit 20 job applications, think about what type of job youd really like to have- and what type of job flexibility makes the most sense for you at this stage in your life.Youll produce better-quality job applications.If you churn out job applications day in and day out, yes, you will produce more opportunities to be potentially called in for an interview. But what about the quality of those applications?Chances are, if youre focusing on quantity - and not quality- your product (aka your job application) will be subpar. And since its always better to take more time to customize each job application to fit the job description, it simply makes more sense to slow down and focus on producing a better-quality job application that will attract the attention of the hiring manager.Youll have better work-life balance.One of the biggest benefits of having a flexible job is that youll have work-life balance. And that starts with your job search. If you spend all day glued to the desk in your home office, scanning job descriptions, and clicking and applying, are you really getting any kind of balance? Probably not.So treat your job search as if you already have a flexible job, and start reaping the benefits of flex. Take breaks every 45 minutes to an hour or so (studies have shown time and time again that breaks boost productivity) and more importantly, get outside. Take the pooch for a walk, or meet some fellow remote worker friends fo r lunch.Once you get into the habit of having work-life balance- even when youre job searching- youll be more likely to continue doing so when you are hired for a remote job.Its important to take some time off while youre job searching. It can help you think of better ideas, create quality applications, and even give you a first-hand glimpse into what having a flexible job might feel like. So work with your bodys natural rhythm to maximize your productivity when youre at your peak, and rest up for those important job interviews.Begin your search for a telecommuting, part-time, or flexible schedule job.Readers, are you taking breakswhile youre job hunting or do you plow through the day? Let us know how you style your job search in the comments below