How to Make Sure you Actually Relax After Work

Do you feel as though when you finish work, you just don’t actually relax? If so, then you need to make sure that you do something about this. If you don't, then you may find that you never end up unwinding, and this can contribute to things like burnout. If you need some help switching off, take a look below.

Tell People You’re Logging Off

While some workplaces expect a lot of people to respond immediately to an email, around the clock, you need to make sure that you’re not putting too much pressure on yourself to do so. If you check your workplace policy, you will notice that a lot of the time, this isn’t an actual requirement, and that you are putting yourself in a bad place by committing. If you want to help yourself here, then one of the best things you can do is try and get some clarity about expectations.

Your boss may be fine with you going offline after work, and it may be that there is no need for you to reply to that last-minute email. If the work and life lines are somewhat unclear or if you cannot deal with the constant pings, then setting boundaries is a good thing to do. Let all of your coworkers know that you are not available in the evening and that if they need you for anything, they should call instead of trying to message you. That way, you will be less tempted to keep checking your emails, and you may find that you’re able to relax at night.

Body Scans

Another thing you need to do is make sure that you do some body scans. A three-to-five-minute body scan is one of the best things you can do, and believe it or not, you can even practice it on your way home from work if you want. To put this into practice, you simply need to bring your full attention to every part of your body, from your face down to your toes. You also need to take note of all the sensations you can feel.

It may be that your shoulders feel tense or that your jaw feels tight. If you are hungry, then you may feel your stomach gurgling or that you have a really dry throat. When you are at work, there is a good chance that you are not fully in tune with your body and that you are immersed in a high-stress environment.

The main way that a body scan combats this is that it pulls you away from the things you have been focused on, and it helps you to get out of your own head. If you can focus on this, it’ll help you a lot, and it will also help you reconnect with yourself.

Turn Off Notifications

You also need to try and turn off notifications, so you can feel assured knowing that you are not going to be disturbed when you clock off from work. Although turning off notifications can be nerve-wracking, as you may feel as though you are going to miss an important email or something else similar, it really is the best way for you to tune out and make sure that you aren’t going to miss anything.

Studies have also shown that notifications can be incredibly distracting, so you need to make sure that you keep an eye out for this and that you don’t let it disturb the time you have with your partner or your family. Even if you happen to see that little red circle on your phone, don’t click it, because if you do, then you may find that you end up struggling not to go back for the second or even third time you see it.

If you keep the small alerts out of sight and out of mind, then this will help you more than you realise, so keep that in consideration.

Feed your Senses

Another thing you need to do is feed your senses. These could be sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. It may be that you try to immerse yourself in your environment by lighting some candles and simply being more present in the current moment.

You might also want to try and taste some nice food so you can ground yourself. If you find it hard to do this because you simply can’t switch off, then one thing you can do is try and find ways to fix that. Playing games is a very good thing to do here, so give some thought to that. Games like solitaire, for example, are great, and as you have to use a lot of mental energy to play, you will find that it is a very good way for you to focus on the current moment rather than everything else.

Getting Outside

Believe it or not, getting outside is huge for your mental health. When you go outside, you will find it easier to ground yourself and forget about the world around you. When you are out on a walk, try and take note of the clouds that are floating around you, and the birds as well. Try and lock out the things like beeping cars and instead, try and find ways to move away from them.

If you can do this, then you will find it easier to not only be more current but also shift your attention away from the pressures and the demands of your current job.

You may also find that simple things, like sitting on a park bench so you can listen to the sound of the river running by, help, as it again helps you to be more present and involved in the current moment. If you can keep things like this in mind, you will find it easier to switch off as well as be able to help yourself with your mental health. You may also find that you end up being fitter and healthier too.

Featured