Have you ever had one of those days at work where you felt like you needed to take a one-week vacation? Whether it be having a colossal incident occur that you were in charge of mitigating, a conflict within the team or a client was being a bit unreasonable. Even if nothing really crazy happened, you still need to get home and relax. Whatever it is, you were ready to get home, but then you can’t turn your brain off. Well, you need to so that you can be prepared for the next day.
I wanted to share activities that people close to me, and I do that are part of our after-work routine. This might help you create your own or modify your existing evening routine so that you can destress and relax. Learning how to relax is one of the best ways to find happiness and be successful.
Listen to Music, Audiobooks, or Podcasts
The DC area is known to have notorious traffic. We have one of the worst traffic in the country. We are next to Los Angeles and New York City. With those long commutes, it can take a person between one to three hours one way. If you add it up, then it’s a total of two to six hours a day. When you’re coming back from work, you can be doing activities to help you relax. When I leave work, I listen to music. This is different than when I am heading into work. I listen to audiobooks and podcasts. However, when I leave, I don’t want to hear any talking because that is what I spent the whole day doing. Therefore, when I leave a client’s office, I listen to music and play games on my phone. This really gets me out of the work mindset. If I had a hectic day, I listen to a ten-minute meditation session from my meditation app. I use Calm, but you can use whichever one you are most comfortable with.
2. Change Out of Your Work Clothes
Whether you work in an office or at home, you should change out of your work clothes when you get home from work or you leave your home office. This is the first thing I do. I put on sweatpants, or if I’m working out, I put on my workout clothes. For some reason, changing your clothes is like a visual indicator that the workday has ended, and it’s time to shift to your personal life.
3. Do an Activity that Makes You Happy the First 30 minutes
When you leave work, do something for yourself for 30 minutes. For me, I start cooking or quickly cleaning the house. Yes, I am a weirdo. I don’t know why but cooking and cleaning relax me. If I get carryout, which I do once a week because I have class on Wednesdays, I lay down on my bed with my dog and lounge for 30 minutes. When my kids were little, and I had to run them to extracurricular activities, I would do this relaxation while I was waiting for them. No one tells you how much waiting around you do as a parent. Try to do this even if it’s for ten minutes.
4. Journaling
If you are someone who keeps a diary, then journal. I’ve had one since I was a teenager. I can use my diary to write about the day, all the stresses, or the positive things. It’s to write about my feelings without worrying about being judged. It’s great!
5. Exercise
Take a 15-minute walk or go to the gym. Whatever activity you like to do, do it! You will get the natural high from the endorphins and see your stress melt away.
6. Talk to Your Favorite People
I am not someone who really liked talking on the phone or talking to anyone when I get off work because I’ve spent the entire day talking to people. But, if you get energized talking to someone, then talk to your favorite people. When I say “favorite people,” make sure that those people are just happy and optimistic people. Do not talk to people who are toxic and negative because they’ll make you feel even more tired.
7. Do a Brain Dump
This is similar to journaling, but it doesn’t have to be in a journal. You can take a piece of paper and create lists on:
- Frustrating parts of the day
- Good parts of the day
- To-do list for the next day
This will put your brain at ease. Please sign up to get updates on the blog, YouTube channel, and freebies that I am creating just for you!
