God rested on the 7th day, ball players have the 7th inning stretch, and I'm taking this week off from job hunting. With unemployment reaching double digits in some states, the odds of finding a job in the near future are slim. But job hunting is a job in and of itself, albeit a poorly paid one. So it's important to take breaks from the daily grind just like you would if you had a paying job.
I am still attending two out of three of my networking events because I enjoy them, not because I have to. And I did sit down at the computer and apply online for three jobs yesterday which took a total of one hour. But usually when I take a vacation from my job, I check in and deal with issues in some form or other so it really wasn't a big deal to send in a few online applications.
But I stepped out of my regular routine this week. I booked a massage using a gift certificate from a dear friend. I left there feeling so good, almost as though I spent a week at a spa (which I've never done so please forgive the analogy if you've done both and they are nothing alike). Then I went shopping. Since I was in Carytown for the massage in the first place, I checked out the Clothes Rack for incredible deals..and found one. Then I headed over to Short Pump Town Center to use up a credit that Macy's was nice enough to give me just because it really was mine. I've taken some long walks, played with my dogs in the yard, visited the dentist (which I really would do on my vacation time when I did have a job) and made some long overdue social phone calls. I feel rested and relaxed and come Monday morning, I'll be ready to face the job search again with renewed vigor.