Bringing work home is the new normal. We’re always scrambling to finish “just one more task” and often have a habit of checking our inbox long after coming home. And just the expectation of going through work emails after work can cause anxiety.
However, taking care of yourself and decompressing after a long day at work can help reduce long-term stress. But more importantly, it can free up time for things that are more important. So how can you wind down after work? Here are a few tips. ????????
???? Get out of work clothes
To properly trigger the wind down period, you first need to create boundaries and get into home mode. This means that as soon as you put your foot through the door, you should change out of your work clothes. This will create a sort of psychological association that it’s now time to relax. ????????♀️
???? Pause your notifications
If you’re constantly checking your phone for work-related emails, texts, and calls, there’s no way you can relax and recharge. Instead, turn off work-related notifications after a particular time and just take the time out to relax. ????
???? Add something new to your routine
Once you get home from work, it’s important you do something that you like that grounds you into the present, whether that’s playing board games, cooking, or reading. It’d be even better if there’s some movement involved like going on a walk or playing with your dog in the backyard. ????
Sometimes, you might be mentally exhausted but if you have a desk job, you probably won’t be physically exhausted. It’s important that you differentiate between the two so that you don’t end up sitting all day long.
???? Don’t bring work home
Most of us tend to take work home instead of switching work mode off as soon as we leave the office. But this comes in the way of unwinding. Of course, you can’t just neglect work – sometimes we all need to take work home, but it’s important to set boundaries and set a time limit. Once the time is up, you should change into something more relaxing and switch off your notifications. ????