Five Things That Help Me Destress After Work
Use your evenings to recover and rejuvenate
You spent the 8 hours.
But even at 5 pm, you can’t stop thinking about work.
Your brain will just not shut off.
The annoying customer that took up an extra hour of your day. The tasks you need to get to tomorrow. The slight jab by your boss. The paycheck that’s still due.
And you wonder why you’re so stressed.
You spend the whole day working or thinking about work and wonder why you don’t wake up feeling rested.
Rest isn’t just about sleep. You need emotional rest as well. You need some spiritual rest too. You need recovery.
I spent a lot of time being caught in the throes of this despair until a few tips and tricks helped me truly shut down after work and recover and rejuvenate until the next day.
I’m willing to bet this could help you out too. Let’s dive in!
A to-do list ready to go for tomorrow
Stop.
Stop thinking and churning around in your head about everything you have to do. Your brain is tired of having to remember every little thing.
Grab a notebook, and a pen, and write down your tasks for tomorrow.
If there’s something you need to do next week or next month, perhaps something you need to check on even a few months from now, just put it in your calendar.
With so much technology around to help you, you need not remember every single thing. Fill in your calendar, set up some reminders.
Now, you don’t need to worry about the 100 things you have to get done. Your to-do list is set up for tomorrow. For today, you can relax.
Wash up after work
This simple ritual helps me wash away my tension and separate my work day from my personal time.
A quick shower, warm water to help me relax, and a splash on my face to help me get out of my head.
And I feel like a brand new person.
Try it out for yourself.
Washing up can be a great way to destress and get in a fresh mindset.
Don’t immediately turn on Netflix
Look, I get it. We all need a bit of mind-numbing day-to-day.
Sometimes you just don’t want to think but rather just indulge in some crappy tv.
But before you go and get all comfy with your favorite show, do one small thing that brings you joy.
It could be anything, reading a few pages of your novel, making a quick snack for yourself to enjoy or a phone call to a friend to catch up.
But do something that will allow you to be in the present moment. Enjoy being here a little. Then, you can numb yourself if you wish.
STOP talking about work
My favorite thing to do after work?
Crib about how tired I am, complain about how much work I have and wonder if I’ll ever have time to just relax.
But, this is so exhausting it’s crazy.
The more attention you place on these emotions, the larger they become.
Talk about and spend time doing things you enjoy, things that bring you joy, and conversations that uplift you rather than bring you down.
Some screen-free time before bed
Your eyes are tired.
Give them some rest, please.
Reading has been proven to bring down your stress levels by 68%. More than even exercise.
There’s no reason you can’t lose yourself in a novel for 30 minutes before bed each day. It’s truly my favorite time of the day.
If you’re hesitant, if reading’s not your thing. Spend some time with family instead. Chat and laugh and enjoy each other’s company. Keep your phones and laptops away.
You’ll go to sleep feeling better.
Last thoughts
Stress will kill you.
It’ll give you headaches, bring on diseases, and leave you hating your life.
Don’t fall into this trap. Take care of yourself.
I hope this helps.
With love,
K
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