When my shift ends, I try to leave the job at work. I focus on my family or my hobbies. I remind myself that whatever work is waiting for me will still be there when I get back.
That sounds simple. It is not always easy.
Corrections requires your attention while you are there. Sometimes it keeps your attention after you leave, too. You may find yourself thinking about a decision, an unfinished assignment, or something that happened during the shift. Going home does not automatically make those thoughts stop.
Over time, I have learned that I need to give my life outside the prison some attention, too.
Give yourself permission to be off
There is always more work to do. As a supervisor, especially, you can leave with a list of things that still need your attention.
Before leaving, handle what requires immediate action and make sure anything that needs a handoff is communicated. After that, recognize that you have reached the end of your shift.
For me, remembering that the remaining work will be there when I return helps me stop trying to carry it around mentally. Thinking about an assignment all evening does not necessarily get it any closer to being finished.
You can care about doing your job well and still allow yourself time away from it.
Put your attention back into your own life
I try to focus on my family and hobbies when I am home. Those are parts of my life that deserve my attention, not just whatever energy is left after thinking about work.
That does not mean every day off has to be productive or filled with activities. It means making room for something other than the prison.
Early in your career, work can take up a lot of your thoughts because everything is new. You are learning the duties, the people, and how to handle situations you may never have encountered before. There is plenty to think about.
But you still have a life outside that environment. Give yourself opportunities to participate in it.
Be thoughtful about whom you talk to
Sometimes leaving work behind means talking about it first. Finding someone you trust enough to open up to is not always easy.
I talk to my wife about work because she has worked in a prison and understands the environment. That shared experience helps us communicate about things that might be difficult to explain to someone who has never been there.
My personal advice is to be careful about sharing extreme details with a spouse who has not worked in corrections. Consider what you need from the conversation and whether that person is comfortable hearing it. You can explain that you had a difficult day without describing everything that happened.
That does not mean you have to keep everything to yourself. A trusted coworker or supervisor may be someone you can call. Sometimes it helps to talk to a person who understands the setting without needing every part of the job explained.
Use judgment about what you share, and protect confidential workplace information.
Know what support is available
It is worth finding out what staff support services your agency offers before you need them.
Check how to access those services, who is eligible, and what confidentiality protections and limits apply. Do not assume that an informal conversation with a coworker or supervisor has the same protections as a conversation through a professional support service.
You do not have to decide immediately whom to speak with. Knowing your options gives you somewhere to start when you are ready.
Sometimes it takes time
There are days when family, hobbies, or a conversation do not immediately take your mind off work.
In my experience, sometimes time is what helps. I cannot always force myself to feel differently just because the shift is over.
That is a personal observation, not a reason to put off support if you need it. You can give yourself time and still reach out to someone.
I would not tell a new officer that leaving work at the gate is something they will master right away. It takes effort, and some shifts are harder to leave behind than others.
What I try to do is give my attention back to the people and activities in my own life. I have done my work for that shift. When I return, I will handle what comes next.
Until then, I want to be home.