How to unplug after a day working from home

We live in a digital age where communication channels are active non-stop. This makes disconnecting increasingly difficult. When you work in an office, there is a physical separation between work and home, making it easier to disconnect. Now that working from home has become normalised, for some it proves challenging to 'unplug' at the end of the working day. Staffing specialist Walters People shares some tips for disconnecting from work after office hours.

Provide a closing ritual

At the end of your working day, it is important to create a set closing ritual. This helps to leave your work 'at the office', even if your office is at home. In fact, in doing so, you are replacing the traditional end of the working day that we are all used to: the commute. For example, take a walk every day, change your work outfit to a comfortable one or plan your dinner at a fixed time.

Don't answer emails after working hours

Many employees feel pressure to always be available and check the mailbox even after office hours, but this is actually not a good habit. Resist the tendency to answer emails in the evening by really disconnecting until the next morning. This way, you can completely release the stress of the workday and feel recharged the next day.

Put your work out of sight

The 'out of sight, out of mind' principle is the way to easily disconnect from your working day. When you see your work bag or laptop lying around the house, you automatically think of the work you have to do. By simply putting work-related items away, you avoid being constantly triggered by your to-do list. Make sure your workspace is clean and tidy at the end of the day, and put away that laptop.

Accept your limits

We all have days when there are not enough hours to get through our to-do list. It is important to accept this and not pressure yourself to get everything done in a day. Prioritise urgent tasks and push your other tasks to the next day. There will always be things that require your attention, so at the end of the working day, just write a new to-do list for the next day. This will prevent you from spending the rest of the evening thinking about unfinished tasks.

Unplugging after a working day is the key to a healthy work-life balance. Set limits, don't overload yourself and enjoy your time off. After some practice, you can make the most of your home working days and really unplug and relax after work.

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