I've found that working from home, especially without a dedicated office, can leave me feeling like I'm "always on." When I started working at Thrive, I implemented a 6 p.m. "work bedtime" to help me stop work on time, the same way I have a routine to help me go to bed on time. This routine includes three Microsteps:
- First, my last hour of the day is always spent at my desk, never the couch, kitchen table, or bed as that can easily turn into working after hours. I use this hour for deep focus time and try to avoid distractions as much as possible to cross off as many tasks as I can and feel good about ending the day.
- Second, I leave the house at 6pm every day. It doesn't matter if it's for a workout class, to get groceries, or just to walk around the neighborhood, as long as it gets me away from my computer and to-do list.
- Finally, I mute slack and email notifications on my phone so I'm not tempted to respond to messages that come in after my "bed time." These small steps have really helped me set my boundaries, declare an end to my workday, and prevent the "always on" feeling!