SUMMARY POINTS
Most every day starts out the same way. Slogging through the morning rush hour to get to work. And once your ass hits that chair and the computer boots up, it’s a mental workout all day long.
From the never-ending flow of incoming emails, back-to-back meetings, unfinished reports, draft presentation reviews and the million other things you gotta do, your brain gets worked hard. There aren’t many opportunities to take your foot off the gas pedal. And even though you know about the dangers of working through lunch, sometimes you don’t have a fucking choice and have to work through the lunch hour, which is bullshit.
Afternoons aren’t any easier. If anything, it gets more stressful as the work continues to pile up and you feel like you’re sinking deeper into unfinished work. Despite your best efforts in monotasking, very few things get done in one shot. Most everything requires multiple sessions.
By the end of the day, all you want to do is just mentally checkout and unplug from the madness, but the reality is that you’ve got so many things going on that it’s almost impossible for your mind to relax. A lot of times, your mind is still filled with chaos at home.
It’s time to change that.
From the never-ending flow of incoming emails, back-to-back meetings, unfinished reports, draft presentation reviews and the million other things you gotta do, your brain gets worked hard. There aren’t many opportunities to take your foot off the gas pedal. And even though you know about the dangers of working through lunch, sometimes you don’t have a fucking choice and have to work through the lunch hour, which is bullshit.
Afternoons aren’t any easier. If anything, it gets more stressful as the work continues to pile up and you feel like you’re sinking deeper into unfinished work. Despite your best efforts in monotasking, very few things get done in one shot. Most everything requires multiple sessions.
By the end of the day, all you want to do is just mentally checkout and unplug from the madness, but the reality is that you’ve got so many things going on that it’s almost impossible for your mind to relax. A lot of times, your mind is still filled with chaos at home.
It’s time to change that.
Why It’s Important To Unwind After Work
In today's fast-paced business world, the boundary between work and personal life often blurs, leading to burnout and diminished productivity. Unwinding after work is more than a leisurely luxury, it's a damn-near necessity for your overall well-being and job performance.
It’s critical that you manage work stress daily because if you don’t, it builds up and starts causing all sorts of problems. Workplace stress, if left unchecked, can result in numerous health issues, from insomnia and chronic fatigue to more serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
By disconnecting from work and letting go of all the bullshit at the end of the day, you allow your mind to rest and recuperate, leading to improved health, vitality and most importantly, your fucking sanity.
Moreover, unwinding helps maintain a balanced life. Doing non-work-related activities provides opportunities for personal growth and fosters creativity. Or alternatively, just chillaxing in front of the TV can give your mind some simple restful entertainment.
This academic study from Occupational Therapy International states that “rest is equated with interrupting physical and mental activity resulting in a relaxed state.” It’s things that you do that are effortless and enjoyable.
Switching off from work in the evenings allows for better work performance the next day. A well-rested mind is more alert, focused, and capable of innovative thinking. By letting go of all the work bullshit at the end of the day, you’re more likely to start the next workday with renewed energy and fresh ideas.
This is especially true when you’re working remotely from home and there isn’t any transitional phase between work and home. When you WFH, it’s essential to have circuit breakers at the end of the day to help you mentally disconnect.
Unwinding after work is essential for our physical and mental health, work-life balance, and career success. You gotta take care of yourself by taking a break from all the madness.
It’s critical that you manage work stress daily because if you don’t, it builds up and starts causing all sorts of problems. Workplace stress, if left unchecked, can result in numerous health issues, from insomnia and chronic fatigue to more serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
By disconnecting from work and letting go of all the bullshit at the end of the day, you allow your mind to rest and recuperate, leading to improved health, vitality and most importantly, your fucking sanity.
Moreover, unwinding helps maintain a balanced life. Doing non-work-related activities provides opportunities for personal growth and fosters creativity. Or alternatively, just chillaxing in front of the TV can give your mind some simple restful entertainment.
This academic study from Occupational Therapy International states that “rest is equated with interrupting physical and mental activity resulting in a relaxed state.” It’s things that you do that are effortless and enjoyable.
Switching off from work in the evenings allows for better work performance the next day. A well-rested mind is more alert, focused, and capable of innovative thinking. By letting go of all the work bullshit at the end of the day, you’re more likely to start the next workday with renewed energy and fresh ideas.
This is especially true when you’re working remotely from home and there isn’t any transitional phase between work and home. When you WFH, it’s essential to have circuit breakers at the end of the day to help you mentally disconnect.
Unwinding after work is essential for our physical and mental health, work-life balance, and career success. You gotta take care of yourself by taking a break from all the madness.
Easy Ways To Wind Down After Work
It’s not always easy to just mentally disengage yourself from work. This is especially true if you’re in the middle of putting out fires at work. It’s incredibly hard to stop thinking and worrying about everything on your plate.
It’s simply not possible to just empty your mind in one shot. Our minds don’t behave like binary on-off switches. The mind is always active and it needs something to keep it occupied. This is why it is impossible to empty your mind and think of nothing.
So, what you need are activities that keep your mind active but at a much slower pace. It’s all about bringing the mind’s racing engine down to a much slower speed.
Here are a few ways to calm your mind and unwind after work.
It’s simply not possible to just empty your mind in one shot. Our minds don’t behave like binary on-off switches. The mind is always active and it needs something to keep it occupied. This is why it is impossible to empty your mind and think of nothing.
So, what you need are activities that keep your mind active but at a much slower pace. It’s all about bringing the mind’s racing engine down to a much slower speed.
Here are a few ways to calm your mind and unwind after work.
Go For A Stroll Around The Neighborhood
After an exhausting day at work, it probably feels like all you want to do is go home and vegetate in front of the TV. But before you do that, why not take a short walk around your neighborhood instead?
Not only is walking beneficial for your body health, but it can also enhance your emotional well-being - helping to unwind your burnt out mind after a long day in the office. It’s a great way to clear some of that built-up stress. To maximize the benefit, enjoy the environment around you as you walk. See the clouds, hear the birds chirping, feel the breeze, etc. There are incredible benefits to walking in nature. The more you appreciate these little things, the more you’ll let your mind relax.
Not only is walking beneficial for your body health, but it can also enhance your emotional well-being - helping to unwind your burnt out mind after a long day in the office. It’s a great way to clear some of that built-up stress. To maximize the benefit, enjoy the environment around you as you walk. See the clouds, hear the birds chirping, feel the breeze, etc. There are incredible benefits to walking in nature. The more you appreciate these little things, the more you’ll let your mind relax.
Enjoy A Slow Glass Of Your Fav Beverage
At the end of a long workday, it can be hard to find something that helps you de-stress and relax. But this doesn't have to be a challenge; in fact, slowly sipping your favorite hot or cold beverage could be exactly what you need.
You can do a wine meditation or a beer meditation to help bring your mind to a more chillaxing pace. Or if you’re not into alcoholic drinks, there’s always coffee or tea, maybe if cofftea. All that matters is that you enjoy your fav hot or cold beverage in a meaningful way. Drink it slowly and really savor it. This will help you calm your nerves.
You can do a wine meditation or a beer meditation to help bring your mind to a more chillaxing pace. Or if you’re not into alcoholic drinks, there’s always coffee or tea, maybe if cofftea. All that matters is that you enjoy your fav hot or cold beverage in a meaningful way. Drink it slowly and really savor it. This will help you calm your nerves.
Play With Your Kids Or Furry Friends
We all leave work after a long day and sometimes the last thing we want to do is spend more energy on socializing with our family or playing with our pet. But did you know that taking just a few minutes out of your day after work can have lasting positive effects on both you and those around you?
It turns out that activities like playing with your kids or pets when you get home are great ways to help relieve stress from your busy workday. It triggers dopamine, the feel-good hormone. If you can get it flowing for 10-15 minutes, it can last a few hours which is a great way to help your mind transition away from work thoughts.
So, hang with the kids for a bit. Or if you have furry babies, do a dog meditation or a cat meditation. Yup, there are meditations for that too.
It turns out that activities like playing with your kids or pets when you get home are great ways to help relieve stress from your busy workday. It triggers dopamine, the feel-good hormone. If you can get it flowing for 10-15 minutes, it can last a few hours which is a great way to help your mind transition away from work thoughts.
So, hang with the kids for a bit. Or if you have furry babies, do a dog meditation or a cat meditation. Yup, there are meditations for that too.
Hot Soak In The Tub
Life in the fast lane isn't always easy. With work, family, friends and other responsibilities vying for our attention day after day, stress levels can easily rise to an all-time high. Luckily, there's a simple way you can reclaim your sense of peace and balance on a daily basis: soaking in a hot bath after work.
A therapeutic ritual like this allows you to clear your head and get into a deep relaxed state – it's just what many office workers need these days. You can press pause on life and be all alone. It soothes your mind and body.
A therapeutic ritual like this allows you to clear your head and get into a deep relaxed state – it's just what many office workers need these days. You can press pause on life and be all alone. It soothes your mind and body.
Hang Out At The Local Cafe
It can be difficult to balance a busy work life with relaxing and de-stressing after a long day in the office. We all look forward to leaving the hustle and bustle of our workplaces, but too often we end up just going home to a frantic family life without any break for ourselves. You have to create me-time even when you’re busy as fuck.
If you're looking for some downtime after a crazy day of work but before the chaos of home life, hang out at a local cafe on the way home. It doesn’t have to be long at all. Just 30 minutes by yourself can be enough to help put your mind at ease. Your family can and will be just fine without you for 30 minutes.
If you're looking for some downtime after a crazy day of work but before the chaos of home life, hang out at a local cafe on the way home. It doesn’t have to be long at all. Just 30 minutes by yourself can be enough to help put your mind at ease. Your family can and will be just fine without you for 30 minutes.
Relax On A Virtual Exotic Beach
It would be fucking awesome if we could teleport ourselves to an exotic tropical beach after work. It would be the ultimate way to manage work stress. But unfortunately, that ain’t happening. However, today’s technology can give us a bit of that feeling until somebody invents teleportation.
If you’ve got an internet-connected big screen TV, go to YouTube and search for “relaxing beach” and you’ll see a bunch of options. Pick one that’s appealing to you, press play, kick back on your couch and just watch and listen. Your stressors will start melting away.
If you’ve got an internet-connected big screen TV, go to YouTube and search for “relaxing beach” and you’ll see a bunch of options. Pick one that’s appealing to you, press play, kick back on your couch and just watch and listen. Your stressors will start melting away.
Unwind, Decompress And Relax Every Day
As dedicated corporate cubicle heroes, we all strive to get in the zone at work and do our best. This often means that we put our mental health on the backburner. However, rest and relaxation are essential for maintaining a healthy balance of mind, body, and soul. After all, you can only be as productive as your environment allows you to be.
To ensure that you maintain your productivity, happiness and sanity, it's important to make time for unwinding after work each day. Taking care of your mental health should be a top priority after work. Unwinding and relaxing after busting your ass all day can make a world of difference when it comes to mental wellness. It provides time for the mind to rest and recharge for another day ahead.
So, don’t neglect yourself. You have to take care of yourself today so that you can take on the world again tomorrow.
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]
To ensure that you maintain your productivity, happiness and sanity, it's important to make time for unwinding after work each day. Taking care of your mental health should be a top priority after work. Unwinding and relaxing after busting your ass all day can make a world of difference when it comes to mental wellness. It provides time for the mind to rest and recharge for another day ahead.
So, don’t neglect yourself. You have to take care of yourself today so that you can take on the world again tomorrow.
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]