Looking for a job after release from prison can be stressful, and your everyday struggle to survive may become overwhelming. It is possible, however, to take control of your life. And the best way to do that is to establish a foundation of healthy good habits.
These good habits can provide a framework that will give you the energy, strength and confidence to tackle any problems you might encounter. And they will allow you to carry out your job search more effectively.
Try out some of these good habits
Here are 10 habits to consider. You may already be practicing some of them. Or maybe not. Just choose one – or two or more – and work on them as often you can. You may be surprised at the results.
- Create a sleep routine. Getting good sleep may be more important than almost anything else. A lack of sleep can not only cause you to be tired and less able to concentrate, it can also result in decreasing your happiness and increasing symptoms of anxiety. That’s according to a meta-analysis of 154 studies of disrupted sleep patterns of young adults done over decades. The research was led by Cara Palmer, a psychology professor at Montana State University. It’s best to go to bed and get up at the same times every day. Establishing this habit will help your body sleep better.
- Begin your day with exercise. Whether it’s a jog around the neighborhood, a trip to the gym or an exercise routine at home, exercise can help boost your metabolism and help you think more clearly. And doing it first thing, before you begin other activities, means no excuses.
- Make a to-do list. A daily to-do list will help you organize your time, be more motivated and reduce your stress level. Be sure it’s filled with actionable items that you will be able to achieve. And put the most difficult or important thing first, so everything else will be easier. Don’t include too many items. While some people like to put together their daily to-do list early each morning, it’s probably best to do it in the evening, so you can put it away and not let thoughts of tomorrow interfere with your sleep.
- Surround yourself with the right people. Choose those you spend time with wisely. They can have a positive impact and support you as you carry out your job search. And be sure to include one person who can act as your mentor. That may be a former boss or someone who is doing the type of work you want to do. You may also be able to find a mentor by conducting informational interviewing. Ask friends or search online to find a potential interviewee and call them to set up a time where you can ask them questions about the work they do. Not only does this process provide an opportunity to potentially gain a mentor, but many people are offered jobs as the result of informational interviews.
- Put social media on the back burner. Social media can consume an inordinate amount of your time with little, or no, benefit as a result. If you are compelled to check your social media accounts, leave them for the evening, and limit your time doing so. Scaling back the amount of time you spend on social media will not only free you up to do other things, but it could save you from becoming depressed. Many studies have shown that overconsumption of social media can cause depression.
- Develop a positive attitude. Searching for a job can at times be very difficult and it’s easy to be consumed with negative thoughts. Turn negative self-talk into positive thinking. Instead of thinking “I can’t possibly do this,” think that “this task may be difficult, but I will give it a try.” Barbara Fredrickson, professor of psychology and the principal investigator at the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory (a.k.a. PEP Lab) at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, says that we need three positive emotions to lift us up for every negative emotion that drags us down. She has developed a test that can measure your positivity ratio. And by taking it over time, you can analyze what makes a person positive and learn to be more that way yourself.
- Never stop learning. Explore opportunities for classes and workshops at your local library, local community college or local American Job Center. And beyond that, develop a reading habit. Reading books will help improve your life. You may want to consider books about the type of job you’re looking for, the industry you’d like to work in, people who have accomplished great things and/or ways to improve your skills and attitude.
- Practice gratitude. No matter how difficult life can be you can always find something to be grateful for. And learning to count your blessings and appreciate the good things that happen in your life can improve your mental health and make you happier. And there have been scientific studies to prove it. Some people keep a gratitude journal where they write down the things they are grateful for each day. Martin Seligman, who is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and is known as the father of positive psychology, developed a technique he calls Three Good Things. Those who practice this technique take time out each evening to write down three good things that happened to them that day and reflect on these things. And it works, because it changes your focus from what’s going wrong in life to what’s going right.
- Develop a mindfulness meditation practice. Looking for work and readjusting to life on the outside can no doubt be stressful. One way to deal with that stress is to enroll in a mindfulness meditation class. A type of mediation known as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction was developed in the late 1970s and is now taught around the world. You can search online for a class near you or participate in a Palouse Mindfulness free online class taught by Dave Potter, a Moscow, Ida.-based retired therapist. Although all MBSR classes last eight weeks and follow a standard format, each one is a bit different. And his is excellent.
- Never give up. The process of finding a job and your life in reentry will no doubt be difficult. But never give up the effort to succeed. Develop a sense of resilience. Some call it “roll with the punches” and others refer to it as the yo-yo effect. However it’s described, resilience is the ability to bounce back when things don’t go exactly as you expect. You keep moving forward in spite of the obstacles that life puts in your way. It takes effort to become resilient but learning the process will help lead to your success.
