---

Guest post by: Barbara E. Friesner Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

They say finding a new job is a full time job. Needless to say then that looking for a new job while working is exhausting. Well, what do you do when you already have TWO jobs-your day job and your job as caregiver to an elderly relative-and you'd love to be doing something different? It's no wonder that so many people in this situation feel trapped not only from a time perspective but because their current life situation has added emotional and financial responsibilities that they must take into account.

It may seem daunting, but you can take action on your career while caring for your family. The idea is to break free of the traditional ideas you may have about job hunting and instead work with your current situation to start making those first few career change steps. First, consider where your energy goes everyday.

Let's say you are a cup. All of the things in life that are draining your energy are holes in your cup. If I were to take a pitcher of water...water=energy...and pour it into your cup, what would happen? You would be leaking. We can often feel stuck in our current situation because of tiny, seemingly insignificant energy leaks that keep us from being our best. Choose to only have in your life things you love, things you like, and that which makes you feel fabulous. Just because something or some person isn't bad doesn't mean it's right for you. Donate all those clothes you used to love that you no longer wear because your tastes have changed. Get rid of the knickknacks that used to mean something to you but are now out of place in your home. Collect all those magazines you're not reading and give them to a neighbor or stick them in the recycling bin. And while you're at it, cancel all magazine/newspaper subscriptions that cause you stress because you haven't caught up on previous issues. Is there a relationship you need to come clean about? Conversations you need to have with people? Make plans to deal with these relationships because these drains ARE having an impact on ALL areas of your life. And any emotional resistance you have to your current situation is another form of wasted energy. Give up the fight and free some of that energy up for things you'd rather be doing/feeling. Keep in mind that you might be dealing with certain things that take up quite a bit of energy but that you can't do much about right now. That's ok. Start with what you can change and watch what happens.

Second, set your expectation appropriately.

Maybe you've been saying your going to update your resume or spend time researching new jobs but Sunday night rolls around again and you still haven't done this. You then feel lousy as you get ready for the start of a new week knowing it'll be another full week before you even have a half hour to yourself again. How realistic are you being? What is honestly possible for you to accomplish in a given week when it comes to your job hunt? Start to underpromise and overdeliver. For all of you overachievers out there, this means committing to less than you normally would have and actually setting yourself up to win. Agree to do one section of your resume for 30 minutes this coming Saturday and that's it! If in 30 minutes you get two sections done, great. If you find you actually can take another half hour and keep working, fantastic. But otherwise, you've accomplished what you set out to do-working for 30 minutes on your resume. Feeling good about the progress you take on your career comes not from accomplishing an enormous, superhero amount of work in the blink of an eye, but in actually finishing whatever you say you're going to finish when you say you're going to do it.

And third, use the time you do have to learn more about yourself.

Many people I work with feel they can't take any action on finding a new job or career because they don't know what they'd like to do. This is nonsense! An essential part of any job or career hunt is actually learning about yourself and discovering what work you'd love to be doing. When you're so pressed for time because of your current job, elder care responsibilities, and family obligations, be creative with how you use your time. Carry a small notepad with you to jot down ideas you have throughout the day. When you're in line waiting for your coffee in the morning, think about activities you've done in the past that made your heart sing. Write a few down and see if you notice any patterns. While you're waiting for the next train, make a list of things other people consider you an expert in and see what patterns emerge. The point is that by taking small moments here and there to be introspective and observant of yourself, you are taking such valuable action toward having a new job while still working within the constructs of your current life.

As you plug the energy drains, promise less to yourself, and take baby steps when you can, you're giving yourself a chance to explore a new career at a pace that works with your current life not against it!

Barbara Friesner

AgeWiseLiving LLC

Eldercare Issues Resolved By Choice, Not Crisis

Related Articles

  Become an Organized Caregiver: Master the Art of Herding Cats
  Caregivers' Cost Companies Billions
  How To Avoid Caregiver Discrimination Claims
  Caring for Aging Parents: How Do I Know the Right Thing to Do?
  November is National Family Caregivers Month
  Avoiding Caregiver Burnout
  Taking Control of Eldercare Paperwork
  When Your Parents Move in with You
  You Have the Right to...Ask for Help!
  Finding The Right Person To Go Out With
  How Celebrities Can Find The Right Person To Date
  Should I Date Someone From Work?
  How To Manage The Stresses Of Dating At Work
  How To Deal With Dating At Your Job
  How To Cope With Your Anxieties And Relationships
  How To Find The Right Person To Date
  Managing The Stresses Of Dating
  How To Deal With Finding The Right Person To Date
  How To Find The Right Person To Go Out
  Finding The Right Person To Date

Related Forum Posts

Re: Email Marketing
Re: Where is the best place to find a web developer?
Re: Hello from Missouri
Re: Before you spend all your money on a prototype
Re: Backlink Partnerships

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Powerful Small Business Names

The Every Mans Guide to Incredible Wealth

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.