Self-Control Tips for Job Seekers: Situation and Timing

Create an environment and situations that promote goal pursuit. Thousands of social psychology studies have examined the remarkable impact of the situation or environment on behavior (1). Workspaces that are cluttered or messy can actually influence people’s thoughts and judgments. In one study, people who were in a messy workspace actually made more severe judgments about morality than people in a clean workspace (2). Choose a place that is uncluttered, quiet, and free of distraction. Common advice is to leave the phone in another room and turn off the TV. The only items that are felt and seen should promote productivity. Many people make the mistake of trying to work from their laptop while lying in bed. The brain and body should associate beds with sleep (3), so people should feel less likely to stay awake and motivated if working from bed than from elsewhere. Working from a bed can also make it harder to fall asleep at night and be productive the next day (4).

People who work without breaks are more likely to become fatigued and less motivated toward the task (5). One technique for time management is the Pomodoro method,* in which a person works for 25 minutes without interruption, and then uses 5 minutes to relax and recharge. This strategy allows all emails and text messages to be saved for break times (6). When using self-control, people have an elongated perception of time (7) so it may be useful to set timers to remain on track.

*Note: You can learn more about the official Pomodoro Method here, but I use this FREE application that uses the same system.

---

References

1. R. F. Baumeister, D. M. Tice, Toward a Theory of Situational Structure. Environ. Behav. 17, 147–192 (1985).

2. S. Schnall, J. Haidt, G. L. Clore, A. H. Jordan, Disgust as Embodied Moral Judgment. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 34, 1096–1109 (2008).

3. D. F. Mastin, J. Bryson, R. Corwyn, Assessment of sleep hygiene using the Sleep Hygiene Index. J. Behav. Med. 29, 223–227 (2006).

4. F. C. Brown, W. C. Buboltz, B. Soper, Relationship of sleep hygiene awareness, sleep hygiene practices, and sleep quality in university students. Behav. Med. Wash. DC. 28, 33–38 (2002).

5. R. F. Baumeister, K. D. Vohs, Self-Regulation, Ego Depletion, and Motivation. Soc. Personal. Psychol. Compass. 1, 115–128 (2007).

6. R. Ahmed, M. Frontz, A. Chambers, S. Voida, (ACM Press, 2014; http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2638728.2638794), pp. 207–210.

7. K. D. Vohs, B. J. Schmeichel, Self-regulation and extended now: Controlling the self alters the subjective experience of time. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 85, 217–230 (2003).