•  Wake up 30 minutes earlier every day
•  Write at least 500 words a day
•  Blog every day
•  Edit everything you write
•  Meditate for at least three minutes, and go from there
•  Exercise at least three times a week
•  Join a writing group
•  Do a daily writing prompt
•  Limit TV time
•  Limit video games
•  Only check your email three times a day
•  Reduce your internet time
•  Read ten pages of a book a day
•  Read a non-fiction book
•  Read a fiction book
•  Learn something new every day
•  Take a picture
•  Keep a gratitude list
•  Write a letter to someone
•  Use your writing skills to help a local non-profit
•  Drink only one cup of coffee a day
•  Drink more herbal tea
•  Reduce your alcohol intake
•  Go to a reading
What are some other things you can do?

This morning one of my cats passed away. Last night I noticed that she was just sprawled on the carpet, and I picked her to see what was wrong. She was having a hard time breathing. I knew something was wrong, so I took her to the vet this morning. The vet said that her symptoms resembled a condition called Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). It is a virus that many kittens get, but there are a few who succumb to it. I swallowed hard because I knew that I had lost her. When they tried to take her blood, I did.

When you have deadlines to meet, and you are dealing with something as hard as grief, what do you do?

Take Some Time For Yourself

Take a few hours to cry and let it all out. Even if others see you crying, it doesn’t matter. It’s worse to keep everything inside. If you are someone who meditates, close your eyes and do just that. If you need to go for a run or bike ride, get out there and do it. You will feel much better, and you will have the energy to finish your work on time. After that, take a few days to rest. Grief is exhausting, and you need to take care of yourself.

Talk to Someone

The first thing I did when I got in the car was to call my mom. She got on the phone, and I cried and yelled for a few minutes. It made me feel so much better to have someone to listen to my grief. When I was leaving, the nurse offered to give me a hug. I wish I would have taken her up on the offer because I would have probably felt much better. We are social creatures, so don’t wallow in your misery alone. Find someone who wants to be there for you, and let that person in.

Power Through the Deadline and It Will All Be Over

One thing about deadlines is that they end. While you’re going through the process, you might be feeling tired and upset. However, tell yourself that it will all be over, and then you can cry all you want. For me, losing my sister was the hardest thing that has ever happened to me. I remember that I had all these meetings two days later that I couldn’t miss. I asked if I could do them over the phone or online, and everyone accommodated that. I got through the meetings, finished the work that needed to get done, and I forgot about anything else but taking care of my family and me.
Take it from me, it’s hard but you can do it.

Online Dating

You place your resume on the various job search sites, and then you search the different job positions that companies are hoping to fill. One catches your eye, and you read further to see if it’s something you want to pursue. You also make sure that you are someone that they would be interested in. If you feel that it’s a good fit, then you submit your resume.

You spend days wondering if the hiring manager or recruiter looked at your resume, and hope that one of them contacts you for an interview.  If they do, you feel great. If they don’t, you start wondering what was wrong with your resume, and what changes you have to make.

The best job sites I’ve found are Indeed.com, LinkedIn, and Careerbuilder. If there are any that you’ve had luck with, then please comment below so I can add those to my list.

Meeting Someone Through Your Friends

Another way that you find a job is through your friends. You start contacting all of them and telling them that you are back on the market. If they know of any position that would be great for you, then to please keep you in mind. Friends will respond that there is, and you will send them your resume.

This is the best way to find a job. If the hiring manager knows your friend and he/she has a great reputation, then the manager will be more than willing to meet up with you. You have someone who is vouching on your character and work. The hiring manager will be more comfortable hiring you than someone who is practically a stranger. Get out there and let your friends know that you are looking for a job. One of them could help you land your dream one.

Speed Dating

You find an email in your inbox on a great job fair happening soon. There will be companies there that you have always dreamed of working at, so you register right away. You dress up and make sure that you have your 15-second elevator pitch down and have a handful of business cards. When you arrive, you head to each booth and talk to the recruiters of various companies. You spend five to ten minutes talking to each of them, and then you head to the next one. At the end of the job fair, you are exhausted and hopeful that one of them liked you enough to follow up with you.

Go to job fairs and make a good impression. If you are an introvert, these can drain you in an instant. Guess what? You have to do it. Look in business journals, networking groups, and/or do an online search and find job fairs in your area. Make an effort to go.

Do Your Own Thing

If you are still having no luck finding a job, then do something unique to grab people’s attention. I have seen seen people use social networking sites to create awesome resumes. Others have created an online video resume. There was one girl who created a shirt that had her resume on there. You never know who is watching who might think “Wow, that is a cool idea. I want to get to know that person a little bit better.”

Follow Up

It doesn’t matter how you found out a job that you really want, you have to follow up. If you find out about one through your friends or at a job fair, it’s pretty easy to find who to contact. Online job sites are a bit trickier. The best way to handle that is to think of it as cold calling. Try and find someone you know on one of your social networking sites who works at the company. If there is, then contact that person to see if he/she knows about the position.  Look on the company’s web site, and see if there is any contact information on there.  If not, call and talk to the receptionist.  If that doesn’t work, then at least you tried.  You will probably get rejected a few times.  It’s just how it is.  You just have to keep getting back out there.

I hope to find a Sr. Technical Writer or Sr. Business Analyst position in less than two months. If you are also looking for a job, then you should also have a deadline. With that, you should also have daily and weekly goals that will help your chances. I have a daily goal of applying to five positions a day. I also have a weekly goal of fine-tuning my resume and online social networking sites if I find that I am not getting the responses I hope for.

You want to make sure you are doing everything you can. In no time, you will find the job of your dreams.

Good luck!