TGIF — even if it is Friday the 13th. In 2020.
This year, more than any other, creating habits to end the work day has been essential in separating personal and professional time as you work from home. But how are people keeping the work week from blurring into the weekend?
Creating transition time between work and your personal life contributes to being more mentally present in both. Here are some end-of-the-work week rituals that can help you build a buffer.
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Park downhill: Create a list of outstanding tasks from the week to set you up for a strong start Monday (and avoid falling into the “Sunday anxiety” trap).
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Reduce work signals: Sign out of your work email on your desktop and on your mobile devices until Monday, and put away papers, supplies, or other visual work cues.
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Get some fresh air, literally: Before you go from a Zoom meeting to a Zoom happy hour, head outdoors for a 20-minute walk. The change in sounds, smells and temperature can be strong signals that the work week is complete.
- Have standing Friday plans with friends or family. Whether a 1:1 FaceTime chat (maybe even on your walk), a group virtual hangout, or some video gameplay, having standing plans on Friday can force you to break away from the work week.
- Do your laundry. We know, we know — that doesn’t sound fun. But once you go through the steps of leaving your workstation and focusing your attention on a productive chore, it can be less easy to return to work that takes more thought.
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Tune out the week: Create a playlist just for Friday afternoons, and listen to it starting an hour before you end the day. Music is a powerful cue for mental wellbeing.
What rituals do you have to signal the end of the work day or week? Share them at institute@press.org.
