Maximizing Self-Care After Work
Self-care after work is probably the last thing on your mind when walking out of your office building or leaving your zoom room. Most of the time—and especially now as many of us work from home—it feels like work never ends. If you need help maximizing your self-care after work, then you're in luck, just keep reading!
How to Disconnect from the Office After Work
One of the biggest issues affecting employees' mental health is the constant work communication, even after the workday is over. Unsurprisingly, one study found that more after-hours work communication is related to high levels of stress in employees. Even more, in this same study, employees whose supervisors expected them to respond to their messages even after work had higher stress levels compared to employees who did not. Here are some tips to separate yourself from work after hours:
Turn off email notifications from work on your phone.
Set up an automated after-hours email reply message clearly stating your working hours.
Set clear boundaries & expectations with your internal team around after-hours work communications.
Tidy Up After Work
This tip may be the hardest to complete, but it is very beneficial to your mental health. Whether it is just emptying that trash been that’s been over flowing for the past week, or just putting all of your pens away into a neat place, these small activities can improve your mental health. A study conducted by Princeton found that constant reminders of a messy environment drain one’s cognitive abilities and lower our capability of keeping focus. (Now do you believe us?) Even if it is just organizing the pile of sticky notes at the corner of your desk, or clearing your computer desktop, the research is clear: our brains prefer organization, and even these small actions will improve your mental health.
Do Some Physical Activity
We know you saw this one coming, but it’s not what you think. We aren’t telling you to go signup for a gym and do CrossFit after work for two hours, because no one has the time for that. (If you do, congratulations!!) Below are a few simple activities you can do before or after work to improve your mental health:
Take a walk: If you usually order an Uber or order Grubhub for all of your meals after work, try walking next time! Even just a ten-minute walk to your local restaurant or grocery store can give you time to be mindful and increase feel-good chemicals in the brain (bonus points if the sun is out!).
Bike to work: Obviously, if your work is far from your house, we do not recommend biking on highways or turnpikes to work! However, if your work is close to home, biking to work can help you accomplish a day’s worth of exercise and alleviate some stress. If your work is even closer, consider walking (see above!).
Dance to Beyoncé - Ok it doesn’t have to be Queen Bey but really anything that gets you up ad moving works!
Talk with a Therapist
It’s never to late to start or re-start therapy. Therapists aren’t just people who sit and listen to us whine. They are trained professionals who can, yes, offer an empathetic ear and a safe space to share. But they can also give you successful strategies for understanding & coping with your stress and other life challenges . Plus, most therapists will now do virtual sessions, so you don’t have to deal with the stress of commuting to your therapist’s office after a long day of work!