Would you like to learn how to trigger a headache almost instantly?
The answer for me this winter break was filling out job applications.
My head ached, and my eyes burned as I skimmed through hundreds of stipulations and requirements, trying to decide whether or not I was qualified for all sorts of jobs. Most times, I walked away with the conclusion that I didn’t have enough experience or wasn’t proficient enough in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
I never seemed to be enough.
Even job posts labeled “entry-level” in bold asked too much of me. The hustle culture of this day and age has made many students feel like they will never be enough for society. Most soon-to-be college grads are assailed at all sides with the pressure to become an adult quicker, mature faster, and know what we want and where we should go before we leave university. The race to have more experience than the next applicant has been on my mind since high school.
Looking for a job is exhausting – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It tested me on all fronts.
Between the hours I spent searching for a job that fit my skills and the actual time it took to complete an application and craft a personalized cover letter, I felt more drained and anxious than before.
Physically, I spent hours on my computer, straining my eyes as I read countless lists of tasks I would need to be able to handle. Mentally, I stretched myself thin, trying to stay on top of the industries and companies I was interested in and memorizing their values and visions. Emotionally, I found myself so exhausted after interviews and emailing potential employers back and forth that I would lash out at my friends and family. Spiritually, my grip on “future plans” was growing tighter and tighter as my illusion of control expanded with the list of applications I sent out each day.
Burnout was imminent.
Then one day, as I was sitting in front of my computer screen and trying to muster up the motivation (or anxiety) to spur me on my job application journey, God spoke to my heart.
No matter how many intricate cover letters I write, how long my application list is on LinkedIn or Indeed, and how many interviews and Zoom calls I’m invited to, this next step in my life is not entirely up to me.
God is the one who controls my destiny.
I don’t need to worry about missing the deadline for a job posting or carrying my phone around with me constantly. I don’t need to feel anxious about Zoom malfunctioning during an interview or saying something that makes an employer look at me in a bad light. God is in control, and no matter where I end up, He will use me to further His kingdom.
My dreams of the perfect job and the perfect way to attain it won’t make me feel happy, successful, productive or fulfilled if they aren’t what God desires for me.
This simple fact saved me from burnout and helped me develop healthy, practical habits as I continued applying for jobs.
I no longer applied out of panic and anxiety for hours on end, constantly thinking about all the time I was wasting not applying to jobs and worrying about what I would say if someone followed up with me.
Instead, I limited my job-hunting hours to two applications, five days a week. I allowed myself to enjoy breaks. I took rejection emails in stride and didn’t allow them to hurt my self-esteem or shatter my confidence in my abilities or experiences. I worked on silencing my negative self-talk and doubts.
After practicing these habits for the rest of winter break, I can now look back and feel proud about all the hard work God empowered me to do.
If you’re struggling with burnout, whether it be due to an early onslaught of homework or fear about graduation looming up ahead, please remember that God is in control regardless of how much or how little you do. You don’t have to perform a certain way to gain his love and support. God will be enough for you.
