Putting Off Your Next Job Search May Actually Help Your Career

I can't emphasize enough the benefit of a long walk or a period of meditation to get you in a better frame of mind for your job hunt. Those are my go-to activities to just rest and recharge. When I am done, I feel better physically and mentally. I am also more open to doing the difficult part of the job search. (In my case that would be phone calls. I hate making phone calls.)

Thanks for the comments. @Kellen do you ever complete a task and then regret procrastinating knowing that if you hadn't that your results could have been so much better than they were? @Tara is there such a thing as healthy procrastination? Anyone have a good example?

Although I agree that healthy procrastination--or, rather, remembering the importance of taking time away from a job search while deep in the middle of it--can be positive, I am curious: how does one quantify active or healthy procrastination? Isn't it possible that someone truly committed to (unhealthy) procrastination might justify that procrastination by telling themselves they're procrastinating for "healthy" reasons?

I'm fascinated by the idea having increased focus at the "last minute." It's always been true for me! I work really well when I'm under pressure. I often wait until the last minute to complete a task. My procrastination does not appear to be problematic -- I always get the job done! But I can't help but wonder if I would have done a better job if I wouldn't have waited so long.

Thanks for the comments. @Jay that's a great way of looking at this issue from another direction! Sometimes taking that time for active procrastination truly is a great way to find your next career or job. @Emma it goes without saying that procrastination can cause a lot of stress. A happy balance is certainly the answer.

Active procrastination is so underrated. Once you get out of the, "Oh goodness, I don't have a job!" panic mode, not having a job gives you the room you need to determine what you actually want to do with your life. Remember being little and daydreaming about your life goals? Well, I think that's where active procrastination starts. If you procrastinate and dream effectively, you might end up in a much happier place the next time you land a job!

I don't think that the tasks labelled "active procrastination" actually describe procrastination in the job search. Just because one isn't submitting applications and such doesn't mean one isn't still seeking another job. The approach is just different. Also, though time pressure is a motivator, it's also a source of sloppiness and last-minute mistakes. Like everything, balance needs to be achieved.

Thanks for your responses. @William if you are unhappy in your job, it can affect everything in your life from your finances to your personal life. Being in a job that you dislike can really take a toll on everything in your life. Sure putting off looking is easier until the job takes a toll on your health. I found that to be true. I had a job that I loved but it was very stressful, too with a ton of travel. At first it was fun to see new places and meet great people but it started taking its toll on my health. I kept putting off looking thinking that, as I became more senior, maybe my travel schedule would lessen. Didn't happen and I finally had to walk - without a new job. So lessons learned. If I start to feel that stress again, I will start searching right away. @Abbey sometimes taking some time away from the work world can give you a whole new perspective on life. But most of us don't have the luxury of being unemployed for several months. So happy that it worked for you, though.

What can you do to try to make money while simultaneously procrastinating during your job search? Procrastinating is great until you need to put food on the table. Perhaps it's easier to put off looking for a job when you already have one so you don't have to sacrifice your finances.

The last time I found myself looking for a new career, I quickly found myself feeling hopeless. I had applied for dozens of positions and attended a handful of interviews. For some reason or another, though, I was never the top candidate for the job. I finally was so discouraged that I simply stopped looking, feeling that I wasn't going to find anything anyways. After backing off for a while, I slowly began looking again, while doing other things to fill my time. I applied for jobs here and there, and after a couple of months, was finally able to secure a job that I was very excited about. Procrastinating helped me to get my mind back on track and to keep myself from feeling hopeless and giving up altogether. I also think it helped with my interview skills. Rather than going into yet another interview, thinking that I had no chance of getting the job, I was actually feeling a lot more relaxed and positive.

Thanks for the comments and @Lydia there really is no answer to your question as everyone is different. If you are searching for a job and the need for a new position is great, you aren't going to procrastinate because, well - what is the alternative when you must have a job now? Sure it can get discouraging but you have to keep going. It's okay to give yourself a break of a day or two. Get out of the house and do something fun or even something healthy. Get some fresh air and take a walk. Go window shopping at the Mall. Meet up with your BFF for a cup of coffee and a nice chat. That might be just enough of a procrastinating break to get you back on track. If the procrastination is so great that you have given up job searching - it might be a sign that you are depressed and would be worth making an appointment to see your doctor or to see a mental health professional. Some people, like @Erin, use procrastination to motivate. Unusual but I know it works for a lot of people. You know what works best for you. Just make sure that you don't cross over that line to where procrastination becomes your norm.

I'm glad to see a positive spin on procrastination. Job hunting is hard work. If you're not getting calls or you're going on interviews that aren't productive, it's easy to get discouraged. If you let these feelings fester, you could get dejected or even depressed and unable to put your best foot forward when you need it. I guess my question is, how do we know where the line is between good procrastination and bad procrastination? How do we know if we're just on a break, or if there is a bigger issue with our job search strategy?

I was always one to force-focus. Even in school, I tended to write research papers the night before they were due, and I would do all homework on the morning bus. I think pressure offers a clarity and drive that isn't there with lengthy desk sessions.

I love the spin of making procrastination positive. Active procrastination has helped me complete numerous smaller tasks while I have put off a bigger task that seemed daunting. The rush I got from crossing off so many items on my to-do list helped give me the confidence to tackle the project I was putting off.

Thanks for the comments. @Jacob I would think that actively procrastinating would in fact lead to the potential for more mistakes and greater stress. Think about that last college course that you took that required a huge project due by the end of the course and it counted as 50% of your grade. Well you knew it had to be done but it was summertime and you wanted to go off with your friends for some much needed R&R only to come back knowing that you had a week left to finish the project. Same with job searching. What if a really great job is posted and the deadline for applying is very tight. @Katharine a career counselor is good at any point in your career. Many colleges still offer career counselors so that might be a great place to start.

Does active procrastination just up the potential for mistakes and stress? If the job of your dreams is also the job that will prevent your financial ruin, waiting to the last minute to complete the necessary steps to apply seem likely to create a hastily done body of work that would be prone to errors.

These are great tips. Do you recommend career counseling as a potential step to take while you're putting off the search? That might help the job searcher to come up with a better plan, as well as manage anxiety.