Are you clocking out? Take time off when you're off
When the workday ends, it can be difficult to switch focus from work to leisure. Many of us tend to keep thinking about work tasks even when we're away from the office or home office. Finding a work-life balance can be challenging, but it can be crucial for our wellbeing and happiness. Here are some tips to help shut down work and enjoy leisure time to the fullest.
1. Create a boundary between work and leisure
The first step to shutting down work is to create a clear boundary between work and leisure. It can be tempting to check your work email or answer calls outside of work hours, but it's important to set clear boundaries. Agree with yourself when the working day ends and stick to it. Turn off or mute your work phone and avoid checking work-related messages or calls unless absolutely necessary.
2. End the workday mentally and emotionally
When you leave work, it can be difficult to shift your focus from work tasks to leisure activities. Try implementing some routines or rituals that help you end the workday mentally and emotionally. This could be taking a short walk after work, listening to relaxing music or spending time on a hobby that relaxes you. Also, try to reflect on your day and acknowledge your achievements before you leave the workplace. This can help you shut down work and shift your focus to your leisure time.
3. Recharge your batteries outside of working hours
Having a good work-life balance is important for our wellbeing. When we give ourselves permission to unplug outside of work hours, we have the opportunity to recharge our batteries and return to work with renewed energy. Make sure to prioritize your free time and spend time on activities that bring you joy. This can include time with friends and family, exercise, hobbies or just time to relax and let your mind wander. Never unplugging and shutting down from work can increase your risk of unhappiness.
4. Effective strategies to avoid taking work-related thoughts home
One of the biggest challenges of shutting down from work is avoiding bringing work-related thoughts home with you. You may find yourself thinking about a lot of work-related things when you're at home. In this case, it can be beneficial to write down your thoughts on a piece of paper or in a note on your phone. This way, you make sure you remember whatever it was that came to mind, but at the same time, you spend as little time as possible on it at home. If the thoughts come up again, you can tell yourself you wrote it down. This can also be a great tip for falling asleep at night if you tend to ruminate.
5. How to make sure employees unplug
Work pressure can be one of the reasons why many employees find it difficult to completely disconnect from work when they leave the office or home office. It can be difficult to let go of worries about unfinished tasks, deadlines or management expectations even when at home. To ensure employees can clock out and enjoy their time off to the fullest, it's important to have clear communication from the workplace and strategies for dealing with the pressures that may arise. However, it can be difficult to talk about these things directly, so it can be beneficial to have anonymous ways to speak up if work pressures become too much. This could be through representatives or by conducting an in-depth and anonymous wellbeing survey of all employees. If you want to implement this, we can help you find the right solution.
