Distractions! Limit Them.
I am the QUEEN of getting distracted by something shiny. An email, a Facebook post, 12 new Twitter postings I see waiting for me to read on my Firefox tab, all of the INCREDIBLE articles that are out there right now about how to find a job, keep a job, develop a job, develop yourself, etc. etc. One could say it's almost like having ADHD and how my attention span is equal to that of a hummingbird.
It is so easy to get caught up in reading. I am a voracious reader - seriously can't consume enough. In 2009 I read at least 10 books, and more than one had at least 1000 pages (a personal best). And now with being fully involved with twitter, I get inundated with a list of things to read (you should see the amount of tabs I have open right now).
The important thing to remember is to set limitations for yourself. Schedule your day like you would schedule something at work. Maybe 30 minutes for breakfast/newspaper reading, 1 hour for twitter/facebook/linked in discussions and conversations and article reading. Then give yourself a goal for the day. Could be anything to apply to 5 jobs today, contact 4 people, write 7 cover letters, make 2 appointments for information interviews.
The possibilities are endless, but don't get bogged down with reading ABOUT the job search and such. Do your research, of course, and then ACT on what you've learned.
(This blog post was purely born out of my last 2 hours of chatting and reading, realizing I need to follow my own advice ;).
It is so easy to get caught up in reading. I am a voracious reader - seriously can't consume enough. In 2009 I read at least 10 books, and more than one had at least 1000 pages (a personal best). And now with being fully involved with twitter, I get inundated with a list of things to read (you should see the amount of tabs I have open right now).
The important thing to remember is to set limitations for yourself. Schedule your day like you would schedule something at work. Maybe 30 minutes for breakfast/newspaper reading, 1 hour for twitter/facebook/linked in discussions and conversations and article reading. Then give yourself a goal for the day. Could be anything to apply to 5 jobs today, contact 4 people, write 7 cover letters, make 2 appointments for information interviews.
The possibilities are endless, but don't get bogged down with reading ABOUT the job search and such. Do your research, of course, and then ACT on what you've learned.
(This blog post was purely born out of my last 2 hours of chatting and reading, realizing I need to follow my own advice ;).