How to switch off when working from home

One challenge when working from home is that it’s easy to let work spill over into your downtime. The office is right next to you, and you have some free time, so why not?

For starters, your health could be on the line. Those who work regular overtime were found to have “a 60% higher risk of heart-related problems“. It’s also been found to lead to impaired sleep, depression, and heavy drinking.

Furthermore, it can be damaging to both your business and personal relationships. Researchers have found that overworking makes interpersonal communication, reading other people’s faces and managing your emotional reactions all more difficult.

There are plenty of techniques to help you switch off. Here’s how to switch off from work in the most efficient ways…

Get out of the house

Leaving the house at the end of the day can do wonders for your mental state. Even something as simple as a daily walk will improve your well-being.

One study found positive effects on the moods and memory of participants, with a decrease in anger and hostility noted. The effect is particularly apparent when walking in nature. This is because walking releases endorphins that decrease your sensitivity to stress and induce a feeling of euphoria.

There’s also evidence that walking boosts creativity. The creative mindset is one of openness and experimentation and represents a fundamental shift from a more linear mode of thinking found in many workplaces.

If all that wasn’t enough, daily exercise boosts your physical health too.

Change your clothes

Changing your clothes goes beyond comfort. A growing amount of research is showing that clothes have a systematic influence on our psychological processes. One study coined the term ‘enclothed cognition’ to describe this.

For example, formal clothing has been found to promote abstract thinking. This means having the ability to see the wider picture instead of getting distracted by details. On the other hand, casual clothing increases interpersonal connection.

So, think about what clothes you’re wearing whilst you’re working from home. If you are having trouble disconnecting, a change of clothes might change your mindset.

Meditate

You’d be forgiven for growing tired of hearing about meditation in recent times. But a growing amount of research is showing just how beneficial it is.

Sometimes, your mind may be occupied with thoughts of working even when trying to switch off. That’s where mindfulness meditation can come in useful. It teaches you to observe your thoughts and feelings and let them go without judgment. Over time, you gain greater control over what you pay attention to.

On top of that, meditation has shown other benefits, such as:

• Improving your ability to solve problems.

• Increasing your resiliency to stress.

• Developing your sense of compassion.

• Lessening of psychological biases.

• Improving your general mental health.

Have a dedicated space to work in

When working from home, it can be easy to be flexible with what rooms you work in. One moment, you’re in the kitchen, then next, you’re in the bedroom - but having your workspace intrude on your whole house could damage your mental state.

If you don’t separate your workspace, it can start to feel like you’re always in a place of work. It becomes harder to create boundaries between your job and where you relax.

If possible, set aside a space that’s purely for your work. Even if it’s just a corner of one room, it can help you separate your job from the rest of your life.

Peace Out

So, make a real commitment to ending your workday at a specific time. There could be a lot on the line.