How easily do you leave your work at work?

For many people, their job is an important part of their lives. In fact, they love it so much they donate a lot of unpaid hours to their employer every year. (For the record, that’s not a charitable approach I would ever suggest doing willingly.)

However, for employees who want to enjoy their downtime, but have trouble separating their work and personal lives, are their ways to disengage in the evenings and weekends?

Going through my files today I came across an article from 2019 that addresses this topic. Titled, 15 Tips for Leaving Work at Work, writer Marina Khidekel shared ideas from a slew of experts on how to successfully leave the office and enjoy life outside of it. One example is a classic approach to conclude a workday – tidy up!

“Something I began doing, almost unknowingly during my years as a teacher was straightening up my desk each day just before I left work for the day. Fifteen years later, now as a counselor I do the same thing. When my last client leaves, I come back into my office and straighten up my desk. It takes me no more than one minute and brings about closure to my day. When I return the next morning, I walk into an organized work space and that helps me think clearly and begin the new day. The habit is set and hardwired and I don’t take work home with me.”  

Another idea is to set boundaries outside of the office. While this can be a challenge with our digital connectivity, it is possible to be clear with others about when you are checking email.

“I never check my work emails or phone over the weekend — my out of office response is turned on until 9 a.m. Monday morning. That way people know not to expect a response from me, and I don’t feel guilty about not getting back to them.”

Another option to create separation is to craft a ritual to empower the switch from work to home.

“To help transition my mindset from work-mode to relax-mode, I have a few rituals that allow me to leave work at work. For example, on my walk home, I will listen to a podcast about my interests outside of work like fitness, health, and well-being. With these rituals, I get to celebrate my hard work of the day and immerse myself in the other activities I enjoy to reground.”

To learn the other twelve suggestions to keep work at work, please read the rest of the article.