Listening to a Christian podcast or attending a mid-week service is another way to connect with God during a hectic week. If you’re reading fiction, you can become immersed in another world, rooting for the main character facing the story’s antagonist. If reading seems like a disguise for more work, you may be wondering how to unwind after work with how to destress after work a book. Once our work stressors are out in the open air or on paper, it’s easier to let go of them in our mind. We may even find a solution or better approach once we’ve talked it out with ourself.
Spending Quality Time with People
Those who feel tense or stressed out during the workday are more than three times as likely to seek employment elsewhere. Enlisting support can also entail having someone to gently remind you to refocus your thoughts and energy if you start getting bogged down by stressful thoughts of work. Research shows that those who have a mindful perspective are more able to focus on the present moment and turn their focus away from the stress of the past or anxiety over the future. This translates into a greater ability to let job stress stay at work and enjoy the time you have each evening and weekend to simply enjoy life.
Tell your coworkers you’re—really, actually—logging off.
- Keep in touch with trusted friends and family to help cope with stressful work situations.
- Work-related stress or feeling overwhelmed at work is common more often than not.
- Her clinical work, research expertise and advocacy for supporting BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+ folx, as well as human sex trafficking survivors have garnered national praise and notoriety.
- Just like eating well, you’ll know that sleeping well is important for your health.
One way I would often decompress after work is by having a commute call with my friends. We spend the first few minutes talking about work, then move on to other subjects. For three young professionals busy with our new jobs, my friends and I hardly had time to catch up. It just so happened that we were all driving home or logging off at around the same time. You can share what made your day tough, and have others validate or empathize with your feelings. Personally, a good workout gives me something else to focus on for 45 minutes besides work.
We Worry About Work Instead of Relaxing
Set aside some time, even just half an hour, to do something you enjoy. This one is quite obvious, but sometimes when we’re tired or we have other responsibilities at home, we forget to make it a priority. If you’re overwhelmed at work, it might be wise to forgo extra responsibility if possible.
How to Unwind After Work: 13 Relaxing Ways to Decompress
Whether it’s to yourself or with a friend, talking can help tamper down your stress level. Yep, talking to yourself or about yourself in third person is a form of exerting self-control over negative emotions. However, the act of stepping away for a few minutes to make tea can be therapeutic. Studies show that 1 gram of apple cider vinegar may take over 95 minutes to work its magic, while matcha may take up to an hour to work. If you have gum on hand, particularly scented gum, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ chew it for at least three minutes.
Online Therapy
- Mindfulness practices are all about being present in the moment without judgment, achieving a sense of calm.
- When you’ve experienced worry and chronic stress for an extended period, your mind may tend to jump to conclusions and read into every situation with a negative lens.
- Inhaling essential oils may help calm the mind in times of stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
- If you’re overwhelmed at work, it might be wise to forgo extra responsibility if possible.
- If this isn’t possible at your workplace, try to spend some time reflecting on this outside of work.
However, prolonged stress can be harmful, affecting our physical health, leading to issues like headaches, insomnia, and high blood pressure. It can also impact our mental health, contributing to anxiety, depression, and irritability. Purposefully slowing down and being conscious of your surroundings can keep you relaxed throughout the week. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness calm stress and anxiety. According to the American Institute of Stress, job pressure and money are the top causes of stress in America, with 61 percent of people reporting that work is their main source of stress. By disconnecting from digital distractions, you create space for deeper relaxation and rejuvenation, setting the stage for a restful night’s sleep and a refreshed start to the next day.
A study published in EDRA showed that walking in nature reduced the stress hormone cortisol significantly. Also, nature walks were more relaxing than physical exercise alone. With these ways to relax after a stressful day and tips for decompressing after work, I’ve been better able to enjoy my time off. Now that you know how to unwind after work, I hope you can destress and enjoy your evenings off, too. Here are 13 simple and relaxing ways to unwind after work without alcohol.
- However, going for a walk in nature is a pleasant way of relaxing without inducing physical stress on your body.
- Famous is a team member of theTalkspace Council of Mental Health Experts.
- While sustainable job performance requires us to thrive at work, only 32% of employees across the globe say they’re thriving.
- For example, if the smell of peppermint reminds you of holidays at home, use peppermint.
- The information contained in Find A Therapist is general in nature and is not medical advice.
How do I Decompress After Work without Alcohol?
But when work stress becomes chronic, it can affect your physical and emotional well-being. Wellness Coach offers a well-rounded approach to tracking and improving your physical, mental, and sleep health. The app also has a sizable collection of children’s stories. Combined with its guided meditation sessions, Calm is one of the best audio stimulation apps. Through prayer, we can connect with God and receive his comfort and peace while dealing with a stressful work situation.
Dedicate time to hobbies
If you’re having a hard time with an incredibly challenging work week, try asking parent friends if they can help carpool your kids to school on certain days. Keeping a journal to track your stress triggers and reactions may help. You can include people, places, and events that cause you a physical, mental, or emotional response. That includes relaxing stories for better sleep, music, nature sounds, and white noise.
If you work from home or in front of a screen for long periods, limiting screen time is the first step to better sleep. The blue light emitted from screens can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms and disrupt your sleep cycle. First of all, cleaning and doing house upkeep focuses your attention on something other than work. After all, that’s usually the goal of wanting to unwind after work. Even if there is not a listening ear, it can be helpful to voice your frustrations and talk through what’s stressing you out.