During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses implemented remote work arrangements. While such setups may be convenient for many, they have also made it difficult for employees to compartmentalize their personal and professional lives, increasing the risk of burnout.
To address this issue, it’s important to establish a clear start and end time to your workday. Having an after-work ritual to help you transition from work time to your personal time will help you do just that and create a healthier work-life balance.
Having an after-work ritual helps you avoid work from home burnout and enjoy the rest of your day.
What is an after-work ritual?
After-work rituals are small tasks that you perform at the end of your workday. They remind you that it’s time to turn off your work brain and transition into a space where you can relax and engage in your health, relationships, hobbies, and personal goals.
Having an after-work ritual helps you avoid work from home burnout and enjoy the rest of your day. It allows you to disconnect from work and recharge for the next day.
What are some after-work rituals remote workers can do?
Here are six activities that can help you successfully detach from work at the end of the day:
1. Review your completed tasks
There’s no better way to end your workday than acknowledging everything you accomplished. Take a few minutes to go over the tasks you finished and reflect on what you’ve achieved. This will help you get a sense of satisfaction and be more ready to leave work behind.
2. Write down your pending tasks
List down the tasks that need to be done the next day. Doing so helps put your mind at ease because it signals the end of the workday and that any remaining tasks will just have to be dealt with tomorrow. It also helps you quickly get started for the next day, boosting your productivity.
3. Unplug
Shut down your laptop and put away documents after work. This helps you avoid the temptation to keep working or go back to work after your shift ends. Finally, mute workplace notifications on your phone and log off from all business apps so you don't get distracted with work during your personal time.
4. Have an end-of-day celebration
In Germany, employees regularly have a daily evening celebration, often with a celebratory beer, called Feierabend that indicates the end of the workday. While the Germans often celebrate quitting time with a beer, you can have your own version of Feierabend by doing anything that makes you happy, such as chatting with a close friend, cooking your favorite meal, or having a solo dance party. This helps you stop thinking about work and allows you to rewire your brain and get ready for the next day's tasks.
5. Exercise
According to a recent study, almost half of US workers feel mentally and physically exhausted at the end of the workday. This may lead to skipping exercise. However, even just a few minutes of physical activity helps increase your energy levels, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality.
As soon as you’re done with work, walk around the neighborhood or take a quick trip to the park. You can even bring your pet along, or listen to your favorite music or podcast while exercising to improve your mood.
6. Meditate
Meditation helps reduce stress levels, makes you feel less overwhelmed at the end of a stressful day, and improves focus.
One form of meditation you can try is breath awareness, which involves focusing on your breathing and ignoring other thoughts as you inhale and exhale slowly for a few minutes. Doing this can calm your nerves and lower your heart rate.
You can also try podcasts, apps, and websites that offer guided meditations.
For your remote employees to transition smoothly into their personal life, you have to ensure that they can do their tasks properly. NetQuest can help reduce your workers’ stress levels by making sure that your IT infrastructure is accessible 24/7/365 and free from any issues that can result in downtime. Talk to our IT experts to learn more.
