Do you find it difficult to switch off and unwind after a busy day in the office?

Are you checking your emails long after you’ve left the office for the day?

Do you lie awake at night thinking about the day that awaits you?

If you answered ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions you may not be psychologically ‘switching off’ from your day.  In this blog we discuss the benefits of disengaging from your work day.  Regardless of whether you’re highly satisfied or highly dissatisfied with your job, not disengaging from your work day can have short and long term effects on your wellbeing and productivity at work.

What are the benefits of psychologically disengaging from your work?

Psychologically disengaging or ‘switching off’ from your work day is essential for leisure and recovery time after work and has been shown to enhance mood and lower fatigue.  Psychologically disengaging from your work day can impact positively on work place performance, leading to reduced levels of burnout and an increase in life satisfaction and job enthusiasm. Psychologically disengaging from work can be particularly beneficial to performance and wellbeing in highly stressful situations as it may build resilience and allow you to cope better.

Why can it be difficult to psychologically disengage from our day?

Mood. We tend to be more effective at ‘switching off’ when we’re in a positive mood.  If you find you feel down often, it may be more difficult or it may take you longer to ‘switch off’ after work.

Workload. A heavy workload and unrealistic deadlines can often mean that some tasks go unfinished.  If this happens to you, you might find that these tasks can often remain in your mind long after you’ve left the office.  This can prevent you from psychologically disengaging from your work.

Insecurity.  If you’re feeling insecure in your job, you may feel like you need to work harder and longer in order to meet deadlines to impress your superiors.  This can lead you into the same trap detailed above. You may also experience anxiety and stress about returning to work the next day.

How can you psychologically disengage from work?

Don’t leave tasks unfinished. Try to finish your tasks before leaving work. This should stop you from thinking about them.

Take regular breaks.  Taking regular breaks away from your work should encourage you to switch off for short periods of time.

Avoid working through the evenings.  Working evenings is setting up a bad habit which may interrupt sleep patterns. Give yourself time to wind down at night. Be sure to switch off from electronic devices at least 30mins before you intend on going to bed.

Manage your workload.  As workload can decrease the likelihood of psychological disengagement, try delegating or prioritising tasks when you find your workload becomes too heavy.

Don’t bring your worry to bed.  Try writing down your daily worries at a time much earlier than bedtime. Take a moment to think about and deal with those issues you would normally worry about at night.

Do something for yourself.  Whether it’s playing sport, attending book club or practicing meditation and mindfulness.  Find a hobby that makes you look forward to psychologically disengaging from your work day.

References

Sonnentag, S. (2012). Psychological Detachment from Work During Leisure Time: The benefits of mentally disengaging from work.  Current Directions in Psychological Science. 21(2), 114-118.

Sonnentag, S., Binnewies, C. and Mojza, E. J. (2010). Staying Well and Engaged when Demands are High: The role of psychological detachment, Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(5), 965-976.