This certainly does the trick for me—before I can get into a TV show or book after my workday, I need to lie down and decompress (i.e. not talk to anyone) for 20 minutes or so. I have a much easier time shifting gears when I’m able to shut myself off from the world for a bit. Deep and mindful breathing can activate your body’s relaxation response, helping lower stress levels, reduce blood pressure, and promote a sense of calm. Relaxation practices, such as yoga, can help when thoughts are keeping your mind busy. Australian researchers found that the combination of asanas (posture exercises) and pranayama (breathing techniques) reduces stress and helps us find our inner centre again. Exercise is a great stress reliever and can help you unwind after work.

Exercise

The lack of boundaries between work and leisure often makes it difficult to unwind. As soon as you close your laptop or come home from the office, for example, you could treat yourself to a long shower. Listen to a podcast or sing along to your favourite songs while the water flows over your body, literally washing away the stress of work. In order to protect our health, we should learn to say no in such cases. Next time your favourite colleague asks you if you could take a “quick look” at their presentation, give it a try with a friendly “I’d love to help you, but unfortunately I can’t”.

Navigating Well-being as an Informal Caregiver

• Sometimes when I get home from work and find my head buzzing around like a bee that has been deprived of pollen for days, it’s because I’m stressing out about what I need to do tomorrow.
• Seeking professional help through therapy can allow you to develop coping strategies for managing stress.
• If worry about work is interfering with your relaxation or sleep time, considering doing a “brain dump,” or writing a to-do list or worry log as part of your bedtime or relaxation routine.
• Recognizing the signs can help you identify when work is affecting your wellbeing.

With these ways to relax after a stressful day and tips for decompressing after work, I’ve been better able to enjoy my how to destress after work time off. Now that you know how to unwind after work, I hope you can destress and enjoy your evenings off, too. After a stressful day at work, yoga and stretching is calming. It slows down the heartbeat and helps release the tension in muscles, which are pretty tight after a hard day. Unwinding can be even more difficult when work and leisure time take place in the same space. If you work from home, you should definitely separate home and home office.

Treatment & Support

This could be something as simple and low-key like drawing, or as elaborate and time-consuming as sculpting. Light a few candles in the bathroom, fill up your tub with steaming hot water, bubbles, and bath bombs optional, and unwind for at least an hour. Try listening to classical music like Mozart sonatas or nature sounds such as rain, waves, and waterfalls. If these sounds don’t provide enough relief then try meditating with a white noise machine playing in the background.

However, it’s important to note that moderation is key, as excessive alcohol consumption can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. Basically, by activating your senses, you shift your attention away from the pressures and demands of your job to, say, how warm water feels on your face or how the wind hits your skin. “It tells your brain on a subconscious level that you are done with work,” Dallas says. Reading the Bible is another way to unwind after work, as it puts your focus back on God.

• As you walk along the winding paths, you may come across a variety of wildlife.
• Pay close attention to which areas of your foot feel pain and spend extra time rubbing out the painful spots.
• Mindfulness practices are all about being present in the moment without judgment, achieving a sense of calm.
• I think we all realize that relaxing is important instinctively.
• Deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation techniques can help you achieve just that.