Journaling is an excellent coping tool that promotes mental health and relieves stress and anxiety. When you write in a journal, you can process emotions, let go of negativity, and gain new perspectives. Journaling as a regular practice can be an effective way to unwind after a stressful day at work. Socializing and spending time with loved ones for emotional support can be a great distraction that helps you decompress after work.

How do I Decompress After Work without Alcohol?

Try to keep your high standards in check by focusing on the effort you put into a project and not personalizing failure when you make a mistake. If you know one of your colleagues is especially prone to gossip, find a way to spend less time with them or steer the conversation to safer topics. You can also take a few seconds every hour to look out a window, listen to a favorite song, or eat a delicious snack. Remember to leave all work-related stuff aside when you take these breaks.

Relying on a solid support network

One way to maximize your commute time is to listen to audiobooks, either fiction (for fun) or nonfiction in an area where you’d like to grow. However, if you find yourself stressing or ruminating over problems at work, it’s best to leave that burden at work. All too often, people choose the latter option when the former—letting the drive home be a freeing experience—is so much more beneficial. Whether it’s painting, reading, gardening, or playing an instrument, or even listening to your favorite tunes, hobbies can provide a satisfying and productive escape. You don’t need to have a mental health condition to try therapy. Feeling overwhelmed at work is a valid reason to seek additional help and support.

Host a Commute Call on the Drive Home

Work-related stress can lead to decreased energy levels, difficulties performing, and tense relationships. Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change. Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.

Invisible stress is real, and it can build up into chronic stress. Sometimes we don’t notice it because it’s been there the whole time, like a freckle or mole. However, changing freckles or moles are something you want to take the time to check out, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ right? It’s recommended to exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week.

Facing stress is an opportunity to reset your mind and take it as a chance to grow. Researchers say the brain is rewiring and trying to learn from the experience so you can handle it differently next time. In the end, it’s your life and you need to figure out what works for you. Put your health and happiness first and consider how you can improve your work/life balance. You can find balance by using the tips we’ve mentioned to help you relax and create that all-important separation between work and home. When you arrive home or end the working day, take some time to rest and decompress.

• Whatever it is, jot it all down, then take time to reflect on how you might respond to each situation in a healthier way.
• If you can’t exercise regularly, try to stretch in your sitting spot, take walks before, during, or after work, or go up and down the stairs if you can.
• But when the stress boilover happens during work, at a party, or in public, dropping everything to take a nap is definitely not a good look.
• When you’re ending a difficult workday (or workweek), it’s important to leave work at work and move on with your personal life.
• Let’s face it, we’ve all chosen to stay up later than we should to make the most of our time off, especially when it feels like we don’t have enough downtime.

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. By engaging in online therapy through Talkspace, you can learn valuable skills and ways to de-stress from work so you can take charge of your mental well-being. Don’t let post-work stress control your life — seek professional support from Talkspace today. According to studies, participants who engage in leisure activities had higher levels of positive psychosocial states and lower levels of depression. Another study found that people who partake in leisure activities have lower stress levels and better stress-management skills.

Memorize this yoga routine

The Mental Health Foundation explains that work/life balance can look different for everyone, but is essentially about trying to make sure you feel fulfilled and content in both areas of your life. Perhaps one of the most important things is finding a balance between work and life. This can be really challenging, but it’s worth putting the effort into trying to how to destress after work achieve that balance. Research has proven that mindfulness alters stress pathways in the brain, reducing stress, helping to regulate our emotions, and helping us to think more positively. One of the most important things is to have a separation between work and your home life. It’s crucial you don’t bring work problems home with you or find yourself doing tasks related to work in your downtime.

• Some aspects of meditation are deep breathing techniques, visualization, and soothing music.
• By impacting the key areas around your eyes and temples, they effectively help reduce eye strain and induce sleep.
• You can integrate the functionality of these devices with your Alexa sleep routines for better implementation.
• They have a biometric sensor that customizes massage modes to lower your heart rate.

Coupled with an audio reminder, this can prompt you to limit exposure to electronic devices for an hour or two before sleep. Thus, journaling apps and mood trackers are the right tools to track and monitor your wellness. Apps such as Presently, Intellect, Delightful, and Three Good Things have features and tools that help you journal effortlessly, even if you are a beginner.

Mindfulness practices are all about being present in the moment without judgment, achieving a sense of calm. Mindfulness has so many benefits for your health, which you can read more about in our guide on the benefits of mindfulness. As humans, we need connection in our lives, so spending time with loved ones is really important.