When the workday ends, it can be tempting to check one last email, respond to a message or think about tomorrow’s tasks. But when work follows you into your evenings, it can become difficult to properly rest and recharge.
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According to the American Psychological Association (APA), creating clear boundaries between work and personal life can reduce work-life conflict and stress. The organisation also recommends periods of genuine detachment from work to help people recover from daily demands.
Here are some simple ways to leave work behind when your working day is over.
Create an end-of-work routine
Give yourself a clear signal that the working day is finished.
If you work from home, close your laptop, tidy your workspace and change into comfortable clothes. If you commute, use the journey home as a transition period by listening to music, a podcast or simply allowing yourself some quiet time.
A consistent routine can help create a psychological separation between work and home.
Stop checking work emails
Constantly checking your inbox can make it difficult to mentally disconnect.
Where possible, turn off work email notifications after hours. You could also set a specific time during the evening when you will check messages if your job requires some availability.
The APA recommends establishing boundaries around work communications, including making rules about checking emails or answering work calls during personal time.
Write down tomorrow’s tasks
Sometimes work stays on your mind because you’re worried about forgetting something.
Before finishing for the day, spend a few minutes writing down unfinished tasks, priorities for tomorrow and anything you need to remember.
Once it’s on paper, you can give yourself permission to stop thinking about it until the next workday.
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Do something completely unrelated to work
Choose an activity that requires your attention but has nothing to do with your job.
You could:
- Go for a walk
- Exercise
- Cook dinner
- Read a book
- Watch a movie
- Listen to music
- Spend time with friends or family
- Work on a hobby
Research discussed by the APA suggests that activities such as walking, yoga and listening to music can help people detach from work and may support better sleep and recovery.
Create a phone-free period
Your phone can make it difficult to separate work from personal time, particularly when work messages appear alongside personal notifications.
Try putting your phone on Do Not Disturb for an hour or two after work. If you need to remain reachable for emergencies, you can allow calls from selected contacts while silencing other notifications.
Move your body
Exercise can be a useful transition between work and relaxation.
A short walk, gentle stretching, gym session or home workout can help you shift your attention away from work and focus on something physical.
You don’t need an intense workout. Even a 20-minute walk can give you time to clear your head.
Protect your sleep
Late-night emails and work-related screen time can make it harder to establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
The World Health Organisation recommends maintaining a healthy balance between work and private life and notes that excessive screen time and irregular working hours can negatively affect sleep patterns.
Try to give yourself a period before bed that is completely free from work.
The bottom line
Switching off from work isn’t about being less dedicated. It’s about giving yourself time to recover so you can return to work with more energy.
Close the laptop, silence the notifications, leave tomorrow’s tasks for tomorrow and give yourself permission to enjoy your evening.
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