3 Tips for Disconnecting and Enjoying Your Work and Life More
One of the things we hear ALL the time from CEOs and Founders is that it’s challenging to disconnect from work. Pew Research Center found that 31% of Americans say they are constantly online, and when you have an entire company to manage, it can feel like your computer and phone are an extension of your body.
One of our core values at Execly is balancing work and home life, so you can enjoy both of those spaces more.
And it turns out, we’re not the only ones.
Recently Belgium passed a law called the Right to Disconnect law.
This law allows some 65,000 workers to ignore work-related calls and emails after hours and prevents workers from being disadvantaged or retaliated against if they do. The goal is to help keep employees as productive as possible by preventing burnout and work-related stress.
Separating personal life and work life has become increasingly difficult for many work-from-home-ers, as the walls of the office are blurred with the walls of home. Having a chance to disconnect can help keep people happy and productive.
And Belgium is not the only country encouraging a healthy work-life balance. Several European countries are seeking to give their workers a chance to unwind. France passed a similar law in 2017. Portugal did the same in 2021. Even Volkswagen banned their German employees from accessing emails after work hours.
It may seem like a small thing to answer an email at home, but doing something like that keeps you constantly plugged into work and really can cause some burn out.
If you find that you are working really long hours at the office, or if you are constantly checking your phone for work emails, or even if you are skipping lunch breaks just to get that one task done – those are signs you need to consider disconnecting.
Here are three tips for disconnecting from work (to help keep you healthy, happy, productive, and SANE):
#1 – Block out some time each day to take breaks from work.
Remember that it is okay to slow down. It’s difficult to hold boundaries when you have so many pressing and competing concerns for your attention. But holding yourself to rules around your work will help you disconnect.
For example, no screens after 10 PM is a great way to give yourself some needed rest (and may even help you sleep better)! Make sure that you are taking a lunch break, 30 minutes to an hour each day to unwind a little and, just as importantly, get some food.
If you find it challenging to implement these on their own, consider habit stacking, or adding this rule to a task you already do habitually. If you always take a shower in the evenings, plug in and turn off your phone before you shower to start your screen-free time and get relaxed. Pairing your new rules with old habits will increase the likelihood that you’ll keep them up long term.
#2 - Hold yourself to a consistent schedule.
Keep your workday manageable by making sure that you aren’t spending insane hours at the office. Make sure that you go home after a certain time; don’t let an 8 hour day turn into a 10 hour day turn into a 12 hour day, etc…
One way to stay consistent with these times is to have your EA block them off in your calendar or set phone alarms that let you know when it’s time to wrap up and start disconnecting.
If you struggle to wind down between leaving work and getting home, start an in-the-car ritual to help your brain transition. For example, listen to your favorite playlist or podcast to create a definite separation between work and home. You can’t go wrong with hits from the 80’s or the HBR Ideacast by Harvard Business Review – though, maybe not at the same time.
#3 - Delete Delete Delete
This last tip is a pretty simple one (if a little challenging to actually do sometimes). If you find yourself constantly checking your phone for work emails, delete your work email off of your phone. If not for the whole day, then at least for the hours you’re away from work.
Can’t commit to deleting (we need to talk!)? Try turning off notifications for the times you’re at home. Without the anxious red notifications, you’ll soon be able to step back from the constant influx of emails.
They will be there for you tomorrow when you log into your computer, so you don’t need to let that little device in your pocket take over your life.
BONUS TIP: Plan something else to help you disconnect
Scheduling a relaxing or fun activity for your evening after work is one of the best hacks for disconnecting from your work life and stepping back into the person you are outside of the office. Plan a hike or a weekend trip. Grab dinner with friends. Challenge your kids or spouse to a marathon game or movie night. It’s hard to be plugged in when you’re focused on an exciting activity or outing.
Are you interested in reclaiming up to 20 hours of time a week? Grab our SOP checklist to help you get started right now.
