Job hunters: It's time to take a break

The beaches of Cancun, the slopes of Aspen, the dance clubs of New Orleans: What do these places have in common? For one thing, if you're job hunting, they all promise a lot more fun than what you're doing right now.
They're also the sites of some pretty energetic partying for students on spring break each year. Remember spring break?
Actually, a lot of us don't. If you didn't go to college, this tradition probably never got a foothold in your life. Or, if you juggled college courses with work or family responsibilities, spring break might stand out as the week you got to bed on time.
I'm thinking of starting a new tradition: spring break for job seekers.
For one week of the year (why shouldn't it be this week?) everyone who is looking for work is hereby invited to put on a swimsuit, toss a beach towel on the living room rug and load the stereo with surfing CDs.
For a little extra fun, try scattering sand in a pattern reminiscent of the seashore.
Serious issue
OK, so that's a little silly. Not to mention messy. But the underlying issue is serious: When did you last take a vacation from your job search? Never mind the guilty days and weeks when you make no progress and hide from the well-meaning questions of friends.
I'm talking about an intentional halt to job-search activity. A week where you do nothing at all related to job search, including thinking about it. If you are currently working but looking for another position, you'll need to take some days off the job too, or it won't be much of a break.
Of course, as we all know, preparing for a break can be more work than simply maintaining one's schedule, however grueling that schedule is.
That's why I'm advocating a rest that doesn't include any travel. This will save both hassle and dollars.
So what should you do with your break? Maybe try on retirement. Whatever you plan to do when you're retired, you can do some of that now. Sleep in, drive around to used bookstores, go to high school sports games, putter in the back yard.
Or perhaps you need to be more active. Take a page from the book of some college students and spend your spring break helping others. Volunteer at your house of worship to do odd jobs all week or drive seniors to their appointments. Or help a beleaguered friend by cleaning her house or taking the kids for an overnight.
Another option is to enjoy your town as if you were a tourist. Go to the government buildings and art museums and talk to the people handing out brochures.
It really doesn't matter what you do with your break, as long as it is something different from your current life. The goal is twofold: to get a rest, which you most certainly need, and to get perspective, which is difficult to come by unless you change your situation.
Tips to help
Here are some tips to help you make the most of the break:
A day or two before you take your break, sit down with a notebook and ask yourself some questions: If you're stuck in your job search, what do you think is the culprit? Are the jobs not there? Do you not have enough time to pursue leads well? Do you think your education level or your interview performance is holding you back?
Don't torture yourself, but jot down some possible solutions to the problems and put the notebook away for now.
Tuck a different notebook into your pocket for the week you're off.
Or grab one of those nifty voice recorders. If ideas come to you about your job search or career, make a brief note of them, to be reviewed later.
On the last day of your break, set aside an hour to reflect on what you've done that week and the things you've learned or new people you've met. Pull out the notes you made before your break. Has anything new occurred to you? If yes, write it down and decide how you will proceed tomorrow with the new idea.
The bright side
If no, don't worry. The week was not wasted. You are sure to be more rested, which always helps in job search. And, unless you were getting interviews every week before the break, you almost certainly didn't lose any momentum. Just pick up where you left off and get started again.
XAmy Lindgren, the owner of a career-consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn., can be reached at alindgren@pioneerpress.com.