This week on my Tuesday Talk in my Facebook Group Sustainable Self Care for Passionate and Professional Women I discussed how to leave work at work! Read more to learn my top 3 tips for leaving work at work so you can recharge every day!

I used to have a really hard time NOT replaying my workday all evening…. I’d tell my husband about every hour (literally, by looking at my phone’s calendar because I couldn’t even remember everything I did that day I was so busy) and spend probably an HOUR debriefing my entire day and every mood.

I thought this helped me to release the day, but it really just reminded me of all the things my brain thought I should forget and move on from. This habit set my evenings off to a terrible start! I felt guilty for not doing more work, I stressed about the things I forgot to do or that I was waiting for people’s responses on.

I ended up feeling like I was wasting my time being home with my husband and that negativity kept me from saying ‘yes’ to socializing or engaging in things I loved to do like painting or reading novels because I wasn’t doing work.

I didn’t know how to turn off my ‘work brain’ and this led me to feel anxious all the time, and really hurt my relationships.

I wasn’t engaging in my present, off-work time. I wasn’t actually allowing myself to recharge or add any “me time” or LIFE to my day, to balance out the “work time.”

I knew I had to change this pattern! This change comes from new habits in your thoughts (mindset) and actions (evening routine).

Here are my top 3 tips to share with you to get you started leaving work at work:

First tip – BEFORE leaving work for the day journal for a few minutes about highs and lows and mentally wrap up your day. Take a look at your calendar for tomorrow and reminder yourself that you will have time to do more work tomorrow. Try to find at least one thing you are grateful for that happened during your workday.

Even if you had a horrible day, are you grateful that you had the opportunity to work and make money for your family? Are you grateful that you are physically able to leave work and enjoy your life? Was there any moment where someone did something kind for you?

2nd tip – Disengage with an “I’m off work routine” – something that physically tells your mind and body “I’m off work now.” Perhaps on your drive home you decide to listen to the same song right when you get in the car, one that leaves you feeling uplifted and happy. Maybe when you get home you decide to call a friend while making dinner. Or as soon as you get home get your and walk your dog, do some yoga stretches, watch an episode of your favorite engaging TV show or do a mindfulness meditation. Not sure what mindfulness is? Check out this post.

During a mindfulness meditation you might want to use one of these mantras:

“I’ve done all I can today.”

“This is my time and I choose to give it to myself and my family.”

“I am no longer at work I am home.”  

3rd tip- Have other things to do on your workdays that are things you enjoy. Hobbies. Friendships. Personal goals. Make sure your time off isn’t just spent ‘laying around’ watching TV because really, 5 hours of Netflix is not recharging!

If you are physically or mentally tired take that into consideration with what you do.

Mentally tired? Go for a walk.

Physically tired? Play a game on your phone or do a word search.

What tip sounds the most helpful to you? Comment below what you’re going to try out this week so you can leave work at work.

If this all sounds like something you want to do, but aren’t sure you can do it on your own or want a structured support program to help you find a work-life balance that works whether that means changing jobs, asking for new things at your current job, or starting your own business – let’s talk.

Apply for a career strategy session and we can see if working together might help you achieve your goals by clicking here.