This article provides general information, not personal medical advice. Speak to an appropriate healthcare professional about symptoms, medicines or concerns.
Give the working day an ending
Before you finish, write down what is unfinished, the next physical action and when you will deal with it. This tells your brain the work has been captured rather than abandoned.
Close the tabs, clear the desk if you work at home and say the day is finished. It sounds almost embarrassingly simple. That is useful: simple routines are easier to repeat when you are tired.
Create a fake commute
When home and workplace are the same building, the transition disappears. The NHS suggests scheduling ‘commute time’ and using it for exercise, reading or music. A ten-minute walk around the block can be enough to mark the change.
If you travel to work, resist filling the whole journey with more work calls. Use at least part of it as decompression rather than an extension of the office.
Make availability a conscious choice
Turn off non-essential work notifications. Move work apps away from the first phone screen. If your role requires occasional evening cover, define when that is rather than behaving as if every vibration is an emergency.
A boundary is easier to defend when colleagues know what to expect. A clear message such as ‘I will pick this up tomorrow morning’ is often more useful than silence followed by resentment.
Use your body to interrupt the loop
Work stress is not only a stream of thoughts. It can show up as tension, irritability, poor concentration and sleep problems. Physical movement gives the nervous system a different job. The NHS notes that even a quick walk can provide a useful mental break.
Do not turn the solution into another performance target. A walk, shower, meal, change of clothes or ten minutes playing with the dog can all become a reliable signal that work has ended.
Know when this needs more than a routine
If stress is persistent, affecting sleep, relationships or your ability to function, talk to your GP, NHS talking therapies service or another qualified professional. If you feel unable to cope or keep yourself safe, seek urgent support.
Switching off is not about caring less about your work. It is about protecting enough attention and energy to return to it properly tomorrow.
Sources and further reading
- NHS Every Mind Matters: work-related stress ↗
- NHS tips for working from home ↗
- NHS: use physical activity to switch off ↗
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