It’s a typical end of the work-day. You turn your computer off and let out a long sigh: time to relax! But is it really? When exercising after work or cooking dinner, do you still think about that presentation you have to get done by next week? The pending tasks or that work-related conversation with your colleague? Do you actually disconnect from work and relax, or is your mind still at work? We’ve all been there. Disconnecting from work is freaking difficult, and it is even more difficult to not feel guilty when you do disconnect. In this article we discuss ways to disconnect from work and most importantly not feel guilty about having a life beside work.
Why disconnecting from work is the key to your well-being
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a switch in your mind that could turn off your work-related thoughts the second you are done with your work-day? Unfortunately, many of us struggle with finding this switch and turning it off. However, the switch that helps you disconnect from work is essential for your well-being. When you disconnect from work, you restore your energy and you feel more refreshed the next day. Moreover, disconnecting in the evening can improve your overall health and sleep quality.
Not being able to disconnect from work is a serious red flag for your social life as well. Imagine sitting at the dinner table with your partner and instead of having a nice conversation, your mind is still going through Excel sheets. That’s quite a sad picture, eh? In fact, the more you disconnect from work the better social and family relationships you can have. All in all, disconnecting from work is key to your and others’ well-being.
3 ways to disconnect from work (and not feel guilty about it)
While it sounds easy, disconnecting can be really difficult. And what makes it harder is the feeling of guilt that can persist when you allow yourself to forget about work and live a little. You might believe that the more time you spend thinking about work, the better your ideas and output will be. However, this is a trick your mind plays that eventually leads to burnout. So here are three ways to disconnect without any trace of guilt:
1. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT check emails after working hours
As the saying goes: out of sight, out of mind. While it can be tempting to check whether you got feedback on that draft you sent or whether there was any reply on a work-related question – checking email after work will only create more anxiety about upcoming work-tasks.
Instead, try turning off your email notifications outside your working hours. And remember, if your supervisor or colleagues work after the work day has ended, it does not mean you should be available too. If needed, notify them about the times when they can reach you and inform them about your email availability.
2. Think about disconnecting as an investment in your health
Let me guess, you did buy those vitamins in the hope to improve your health. Well disconnecting is just like that, but it’s free and has instant results. You might think that disconnecting from work will actually make you less efficient and will basically end up being a waste of time. If you can relate to this, try switching your focus towards what disconnecting can bring you in the long run – just like an investment. Instead of thinking about disconnecting as a sign of laziness, think about it as a purposeful process of recovery. Your return on investment will be huge.
3. Create after-work rituals and be present
Creating rituals that you can do alone, with your partner or friends can help you set boundaries between work and non-work. For example, when you come home after work, change into comfy clothes, put on some music while cooking dinner, call your parents after work to catch up, or engage in a hobby. You could also talk to your partner about having a candle light dinner once a week to spend quality time together and be in the here and now.
Disconnecting from work is a skill anyone can learn. Building that switch in your mind that you can flip at the end of the work day will improve your well-being, make space for the things and people you love and create a more fulfilling life.
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February 26, 2022This post is based on the following sources and academic articles:
Clinton, M., Conway, N., & Sturges, J. (2017). “It’s tough hanging-up a call”: The relationships between calling and work hours, psychological detachment, sleep quality, and morning vigor. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(1), 28–39.
Hülsheger, U. R., Lang, J. W. B., Depenbrock, F., Fehrmann, C., Zijlstra, F. R. H., & Alberts, H. J. E. M. (2014). The power of presence: The role of mindfulness at work for daily levels and change trajectories of psychological detachment and sleep quality. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(6).
de Jonge, J., Spoor, E., Sonnentag, S., Dormann, C., & van den Tooren, M. (2012). “Take a break?!” Off-job recovery, job demands, and job resources as predictors of health, active learning, and creativity. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 21(3), 321–348.
Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash
