While COVID-19 has everyone working from home, it can be hard to know when to officially sign off for the evening. For most of us, working from home is unfamiliar territory. Now, we have to mentally divide our time in the “office” from our time at home. It can be difficult to relax at the end of the day, but that is why we are sharing five tips tp unplug after work.

Stick to a consistent work schedule

Do your best to start and stop work at the same time each day. This helps your clients and co-workers to know when they can rely on you. If you make it clear that you are not available after 6:00 in the evening, people will learn quickly. This also helps ease your mind because you can unplug after work, knowing that you are not missing too much.

Turn off your email and phone notifications after work each day

It is impossible to unwind after work if you are constantly hearing your computer and phone making noise from the other room. Turning off your notifications helps you to feel like you are truly at home and not in your “office.”

Schedule something after work

Do not just sit around and do nothing after work. If you are bored, your mind will wander and begin to worry about the work you could be doing. So, schedule an activity to do after you end your work for the day. This could be taking the dog for a walk, Facetiming a friend, cooking a new recipe, or doing yoga in your living room. By adding it to your schedule, you will subconsciously feel more motivated to complete your work and get to that point in your day.

Create a designated workspace at your home

If you listen to one tip for how to unplug from work, listen to this one! Never work from your bed or your comfy couch. These are spaces that are meant for sleeping and relaxing. Try to work at a desk or at the counter and make this your “office.” By creating a clear divide between your workspace and your home spaces, it helps you to feel like you actually did leave the “office” for the evening.

Turn your phone off

Or at least put your phone on airplane mode. This allows you to truly unplug and decompress. It is impossible to wind down after work if you still have emails, calls, texts, and notifications coming through. You will feel distraught the first few days you do this. But after a week, you will look forward to the time of day when you get to turn your phone off and truly unplug.