The Key To Staying Focused During Your Job Search

As a job seeker, viewing your search as meaningful work is vital, since it's likely you'll be devoting several weeks to finding a job before you sign your new employee contract. Time magazine reports the average job search takes 43 days, or about six weeks. Depending on the type of role you are applying for, it might take longer than average to secure a position, especially for those seeking C-suite positions.

When you're not getting paid for the work you're doing, it can be difficult to stay disciplined and patient until something materializes. You're more likely to land the job of your dreams if you're diligent and focused. Use these tips to stay motivated as you hunt for your new position.

Invest in a Smartphone

If you don't already have a smartphone, making an equipment and connection plan purchase can pay off significantly, since you'll be better able to check in on open positions, apply more quickly and respond promptly to recruiters who contact you. Signing up for job search mobile applications on a device like the Samsung Galaxy S7 allows you to receive alerts when a position you qualify for opens up, and you can use it to browse anywhere you are while you're on the go.

Business News Daily's 2016 list of top job search apps includes Indeed, CareerBuilder and Monster. When creating profiles for these sites, make sure your profile is complete with an updated resume, skills, the type of salary you're looking for and any other components the site suggests. By spending time to create thorough profiles for the sites you're using, you'll receive more targeted leads and alerts, and you can make your job search more efficient, since recruiters have a more complete understanding of your skills.

Create a Daily Routine

Making sure you take steps every day to prioritize your physical and mental health ensures your energy levels run optimally. A healthy lifestyle minimizes the amount of time you experience sickness and allows you to do your best work as you job search. Be sure to do these daily:

•Eat a nutritious breakfast - Research gathered by the University of Milan shows eating breakfast improves attention, information processing speed, memory, reasoning, verbal abilities and more, all vital skills for a successful job search.

•Exercise - Getting in optimal fitness levels each day doesn't just boost your immune system and lower your risk for conditions that could negatively affect your work, such as diabetes or heart disease. Exercise also enhances your mental health, as research by UC Davis found participating in vigorous exercise regulates emotional levels to improve focus.

•Take regular breaks - A study by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found taking brief breaks helps increase long-term focus. After you've polished your resume, take a brisk 10-minute walk before sending it off to your top employer candidates. Reward yourself when you've accomplished a task, and do something enjoyable before doing something new.

Regulating stress levels as you search allows you to keep working without facing a debilitating mental block or making yourself physically sick. Having a positive attitude as you go through your daily routine helps your actions align to achieving a desirable job offer. You also may want to dress as if you're going to work and head to the library or a co-working space where a quiet and office-like environment can help you concentrate better on your search.

Set Goals, and Schedule Time to Achieve Them

Proper planning is an effective way to increase your productivity as you job search. Break your overarching goal — securing a job you want — into smaller goals to make your hunt more manageable. Consider tasks such as:

•Updating a resume and having five peers your trust look it over and give you feedback

•Signing up for one meaningful job search site a day in the first week of your search

•Attending one networking event a week during your search

•Reaching out to five companies you'd love to work for a day

•Adding five professionals you admire a day on LinkedIn, so you can ask for advice and referrals

•Applying for a number of jobs per day that fit your profile

Setting out to complete the task you're dreading the most earliest in your day helps make the rest of the day more enjoyable. You can use an app such as Freedom to block out social networking sites or certain websites on your computer or tablet while you are working.

Writing out your goal position, or creating a vision board of what you want your ideal next role to look like, and then positioning that where you can see it regularly can keep you inspired. Making sure to balance your job search with hobbies and social activities that keep you fulfilled is important, too, so you can stay positive during your search.