5 Ways to Disconnect from Work & Live a Happier Life

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday to you. I have been thinking a lot lately about work/life balance. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by how intertwined your work and home life have become? Like you can’t disconnect and feel like you are always on your phone, worrying in your mind and feel drained? Let me just say, this is NOT the way to live.

If we think back to 15 years ago, the most people were using to stay connected was flip phones and pagers. There was no email on the phone and group messaging. It was much easier to come home and not think about work until you went back. Your boss wouldn’t call your house phone unless you were needed to come into work. Now, people are texting about work issues at all hours of the day. While you want to be the best at your job, you have to set boundaries for yourself before your work and personal life are no longer seperate. I know this all too well as my husband owns a Chick-fil-A and I work with him. It’s VERY hard to disconnect. But we are trying and I think small steps lead to big changes in your overall happiness. Here are my tips that I believe can make a change for you!

5 Ways to Disconnect from Work

1. The Daily Shutdown 

• This is a tool from Building Champions that helps you shutdown everyday at work. You look at what you accomplished, what lessons you learned and what you are grateful for.
• You also set goals for the next day which I believe is a huge step in already having a plan for tomorrow- so you feel prepared today.
• Click the link above and download the free document!

2. Turn your Email Notifications Off

• When you leave work, turn your notifications off for your emails. This will help you stay away from checking any time you hear a “ding” or get a notification banner on your phone. That email can wait until tomorrow.
• If you don’t want to be blindsided before work, you can check them in the morning before you get to work so you feel prepared for anything that may be important for the day.

3. De-Compress with a Spouse or Friend

• Sometimes you just need to vent to help you process a bad day or a frustration you had. Maybe you call your best friend on the way home or go out for a glass of wine or coffee to share what you are dealing with. Sometimes getting outside perspective helps too.
• Share your wins and victories from the day with your spouse/roommate to help remind you of the positive things that happened at work that day.

4. Use the Notes/Reminders App on Your Phone

• I love the Notes & Reminders App on my iPhone, it helps me SO much for the “I need to remember that tomorrow” things that come up after work. Instead of worrying you will forget, type it into your phone and leave it there. Don’t stress about it or worry, after all worrying does NOTHING but cause anxiety and doesn’t accomplish anything. Then you can check it when you get to work the next day and mark it off!
• Checking things off a list also gives you a feeling of accomplishment so this is a win-win. I like to color code and title my different sections on my Reminders app.

5.  Set Boundaries 

• Don’t look at your phone before bed and scroll work related apps/emails/notes. It’s easy for us as business owners to check our work app, group messaging and reports but this only gets your mind re-focused on work instead of on your personal life at home with your family or friends.
• Don’t text co-workers or contact them after hours about work. If it’s something you feel you need to address asap, write a draft email and send it the next morning. If you are a boss, respect other peoples time and don’t bother them at home unless its an emergency. Setting boundaries and disconnecting is healthy for you and will help you feel less stressed.

I truly believe if you implement these 5 steps in your life- even 1 of them- you will start to feel less overwhelmed about work, more connected at home and overall more happiness in your personal and work life. Which step do you struggle with the most? Which will you implement this week? Set a goal, make a plan and start to make changes instead of excuses.

 

My Favorite Books for Inspiration & Balance

The Miracle Morning

Living Forward

The Happiness Project

Boundaries