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You’ve made it to the end of another productive day or week, but your thoughts continually trail back to work—to the things you need to finish, ideas you would like to investigate, and items that need to be followed up with.
These intrusive work-related thoughts creep in when you are supposed to be relaxing and disengaged from work. This problem can be incredibly detrimental to your well-being and impact your relationship with friends and family. So this begs the question: How do you effectively Recharge after work?
Generally, the best way to unwind after work is to develop a routine that allows you to switch gears from work to your personal passion. You can form a series of habits that will enable you to reduce work-related stress and mitigate the harmful effects of intrusive thoughts.
In this post, I will share some relaxing activities and a step-by-step strategy for unwinding effectively after work and getting the rest you deserve.
How to Relax After Work in 4-Steps
So, how do you relax after work? Here’s a simple but highly effective routine that you can begin to practice. It will help you unwind after a busy day when you are overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings about work.
1. Establish Firm Off-Hours
Sometimes, work follows us in the after-hours. But we are guilty of being our own enablers by constantly checking our phones and emails, especially when dealing with bosses and managers who demand work to be done even when the workday is over.
Doing that for an hour or two after work is acceptable if necessary. But at a certain point, it becomes counterproductive. It takes a toll on you.
So pick a time that works best for you and make it your “I am done for the day.” For example, tell yourself you are done when the clock strikes 8 p.m. You cannot engage in work-related activities—no email checking, texting your colleagues, research, or fact-checking.
2. Silence notifications from work
It is harder to unwind after work if the notifications keep coming in. So turn them off and resist the temptation to look. This is especially useful if you are dealing with annoying coworkers who don’t respect the boundaries of working hours.
3. Engage in activities that you enjoy
Do what you love to do. Immerse yourself in your hobbies and interests, or spend quality time with family and friends. Keep your mind occupied with things that excite you.
4. Transform the intrusive work-related thoughts into questions
Unfortunately, intrusive work-related thoughts can appear even if you follow the above steps. But here is a clever little habit that you can adopt to combat them.
For example, you might be worried that your company has not been doing well recently and that there will be layoffs soon. When you dwell on the matter, think of ways to turn your thoughts into problems that must be solved through creative solutions.
Keep a small notebook (yes, a notebook, don’t use your phone) where you write down your intrusive thoughts and rephrase them into questions that require an actionable response. Here are some examples.
- I have so much work to do” becomes “How can I structure my time and workflow more efficiently?
- “I don’t feel connected to the people I work with” becomes “How can I better connect with my coworkers?”
- “I am not confident in myself and the work that I do because I am now” becomes “What critical skills do I lack, and how can I acquire them?”
- “I don’t know how to share my ideas with my colleagues” becomes “How can I improve my communication and people skills?”
Once you have written down your thoughts, close the notebook and return to your relaxing activities. When you are back in work mode, you can open the notebook and think more about the improvements that you can make. Or you may find inspiration comes when you least expect it, like while relaxing.
How to Unwind if You Work From Home
The best way to destress after working from home is to change your environment quickly. Go to another room and engage in another activity that you enjoy, or you can go outside for a walk or run errands.
The best part about working from home is that you have immediate access to… pretty much everything you own. You can quickly engage in your favorite activities, or you can…
- Stretch and exercise
- Prepare yourself a healthy meal
- Take care of some domestic chores
Mundane activities such as domestic cleaning, decluttering, and hand-washing the dishes can be therapeutic and help you decompress after working from home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Unwinding After Work
How long does it take to decompress after work?
Usually, it takes a person at least an hour to switch off work mode. If your partner or another family member seems irritable when they come home from work, they may have difficulty decompressing. When relaxed, try to talk to them about their feelings and needs. Ask them what they need after work so they can unwind.
Intrusive work-related thoughts can remain with you for several hours after work. That is why it is vital to develop a routine that allows you to quickly disengage from work and focus on other aspects of your life. Try our 4-step process outlined above.
