Five easy ways to turn your work mode off

Yes, technology has enabled us to stay connected with everyone and everything at any time of the day or night which – for the most part – is a great thing. However, with anything great you have a flipside as well. In a professional's case, it is the inability to disconnect from work post office hours.

When you bring your work home or run office errands even on weekends, you harm your personal as well as your family life. Some people find it easy to leave their work where it belongs - in the office. Some others have more difficulty doing that. If you fall in the latter category, here are five easy tips to help you turn your work mode off.

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Avoid after office hours work commitments

If your boss walks into the office at 6pm and tells you that you need to work till 10pm, don't be afraid to say 'no'. Don't compromise on family time for that 'urgent' report. If you allow it once, you will eventually be taken for granted and that urgent something just becomes a habit. Don't come across as a pushover. Even the sternest bosses understand that family comes first. If you're not up for a round of drinks with your colleagues after office hours, be polite but firm about your decision.

Create a calendar for non-work related activities

Whether it is attending a yoga class, hitting the gym or meeting up for dinner with friends, make time for personal commitments on your calendar. When you do this, you give yourself something to look forward to at the end of your work week.

Try to put your phone away

This is going to be the most difficult thing to do, but you need to at least give it a try. Once you leave office, just keep your phone at bay until and unless to receive a call. You might think that you only want to play a game on your phone, but your cell phone has access to emails and it is easier to slip into work mode when you have a mail to reply to.

Change your emotional state

Identify the mood you are in when you leave from your work. Are you stressed and angry? If yes, do something to put yourself in a good mood. Eating cupcakes might help for the time-being, but it isn't a concrete solution. Do something that relaxes your mind and body. Whether it is listening to music or going for a run, do everything you can to relax your mind.

Don't bring work home

This is a no-brainer, but yet an astounding number of people take their work home with them. Obviously, it is impossible to turn your work mode off if you carry around your office laptop, so refrain from bringing it back home. If you can't tackle your workload at the office, schedule the remaining tasks on tomorrow's to-do list.

Try the above mentioned five tips the next time you feel overwhelmed with work. If you remember that nothing is more important than your wellbeing, you'll learn to turn off your work mode more easily.

Read Also: Why finding the right work-life balance is necessary