IIf you spend most of your day at work, you know that work can have a wide range of possible stresses on both your mind and body. When you sign off, you may feel a little. exhausted And they are unprepared to tackle the rest of the night, whether it involves social or leisure planning, or household chores such as preparing dinner or doing laundry. Even if you don’t have any plans for the night after work, it can be difficult to go into full off mode and leave your work brain behind. This is why experts recommend doing a few little things for yourself after you close your laptop or go home. Reset, refresh and recover after work.
If I knew what to do to transition physically and mentally after work, even if it was just a few minutes, I would have spent hours sitting in meetings and staring at screens. Helps relieve tension and poor concentration caused by all the time. “There’s a saying that ‘a company shouldn’t have the right to keep its employees energized during the day and go home tired at night,’ [working] The world faces that reality, but it’s really up to us to do these mini-resets ourselves,’ says wellness and meditation expert Susan ChenFounder of Susan Chen Vedic Meditation.
Here are seven expert tips on what to do after work to refresh your mind and body for the evening.
8 simple things to do to reset after work
1. Disconnect yourself from your workspace
Whether you’re working from home or an office, it’s important to create a buffer between your physical work and leisure spaces. “We have to be intentional about leaving work where there is work,” says Cheng. Of course, if you work in an office, your commute to home acts as a buffer. But if you work from home, Chen says you can create that line by keeping your laptop in a separate room (or drawer) from where you spend the night after work.
“We have to be intentional about leaving work where there is work.” — Susan Chen, wellness and meditation expert
If you find it difficult to move your work setup at the end of the day, cover it with a cute scarf or blanket as a visual reminder that you’re out of hours, Chen adds. Remember. Checking work emails and pings in messaging apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams after workdays blurs this line. If you can avoid it, don’t do it.
2. Do some simple stretching
If possible, taking your time and doing a few simple stretches can help relieve the stiffness you feel when you spend most of your day in the same position.trainer Dennis Chakoianowner of core cycle. fitness. Agree. , “I recommend focusing on your spine and hips, which are in flexion throughout the day.” [if you’re sitting] It can be very compressed. “
If you can sit on the floor, Chakoian says a few simple cat-cow yoga poses can help align your spine, especially the figure-of-four stretch to open your hip flexors. doing. Step back and cross your right leg over the lift, placing your right ankle over your left quadriceps. Then reverse it. If you can’t sit on the floor, she suggests doing a few hip rotations instead to loosen your back and hips. She stands with her hands on her hips and rotates her hips in a circular motion.
People who work at computers tend to slouch in front of the screen, so be sure to stretch your neck and shoulders as well, adds Chakoian. First, she recommends alternating circular motions with both her head and shoulders. Then stretch your shoulders by “pulling your shoulder blades together.”
3. Make time to move
In addition to stretching, Chakoian highly recommends making time to move after work, even if it’s just for a few minutes. “At the end of the day, if you put on your headphones and can walk for 15 minutes or he for 20 minutes, you’ve stretched your body. return blood flow to muscles,” she says.
Being able to exercise outdoors is even better, as you may benefit from the restorative benefits of green spaces and sunlight. Or turn on your favorite tunes and dance to release more feel-good dopamine.
4. Focus your eyes off the screen
Staring at a computer all day can cause digital eye strain. Symptoms such as dry eyes, irritation, and concentration problems. part of the reason?it’s a natural impulse blink less When you’re staring at a screen (even if you don’t realize you’re doing it).
That’s why it’s a good idea to look away from the screen when you’re done and simply “switch the focus of your eyes.” Dr. Viktoriya KarakcheevaDirector of Behavioral Health resilience and wellness center and George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Changing what your eyes focus on gives you the opportunity to adapt to new surroundings. Dr. Karakcheeva suggests simply: stare into the distance for 20 secondsFor example, “Where there is something green outside the window.”
5. Use water as a “pattern break”
Incorporating what Chen calls “pattern breaks,” simple exercises that remind your mind when it’s time to transition from one activity to the next, can help you reset after a day’s work.
“If you’re in the zone and in task-oriented tunnel vision where you’re just focused on work, doing something completely different can help.” [shift modes]’ says Chen. She added that water is especially restorative. That’s why she often encourages her students to take a short shower to give them time to reset.
If you don’t have the time (or energy) to take a shower, “just pouring cold water over your face can help.” Stimulates and resets the nervous system By activating the vagus nerve,” says Dr. Karakcheeva, which leads to a state of calmness.
6. Hydrate with a glass of water or tea
It’s easy to become dehydrated throughout the day, so drinking water after work can help you reset, especially if you’ve been so busy working that you haven’t been hydrating regularly.According to a registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN“Staying hydrated also helps you feel more energized.” This is probably what you need when you get out of a long day at work.
For a change of mood and a health-supportive boost to your post-work drink, try infusing your water with fruit or herbs.registered dietitian Christina Manian, RDNI also like to relax with a cup of decaffeinated herbal tea, such as antioxidant-rich hibiscus tea.
7. Fuel up with nutritious snacks
If you’re more than an hour away from finishing work and planning to eat dinner, a nutritious and healthy snack to refuel after work and kick-start your night is worth it.
Manaker suggests snacks that contain protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats to give you energy and satiety. In that area, cottage cheese is a good option. She also advises reaching for fruit, as the combination of fiber and sugar gives fruit more staying power than processed snack items.
One of Manakar’s favorite fruit-based snacks (which also has a little protein) is nut butter-stuffed dates. Simply slice a date palm in half and fill with your favorite nut butter. “Energizing, sweet, and packed with healthy fats, fiber, carbs and magnesium.” [which can support your sleep that night],” she says.
8. Practice mindfulness to relieve work stress
A simple mindfulness exercise can help you mentally get out of work mode by bringing your attention to the present moment. After you’ve finished your last task, try a “check-in meditation,” suggests Kesonga Giscombe, a mindfulness and meditation teacher at Headspace. “Stop and look at yourself intentionally, intentionally,” he says. Consider how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally to prioritize yourself and your needs after a long day at work.
This brief pause helps “transition into the space of recovery and reset in an easier way,” Giscombe adds. But you can also try simple micro-meditations, such as a few minutes of resonant breathing (breathing out longer than inhaling) or a supportive mantra to mentally transition from your work self to your leisure self.
