5 Mistakes to Avoid After Work for Better Energy and Well-Being
Struggling to disconnect from work? Learn how to set boundaries, avoid burnout, and make the most of your personal time with these expert-backed strategies.
Watan-In today’s fast-paced world, where remote work and constant communication via smartphones and emails have become part of daily routines, it has become increasingly difficult to disconnect from work at the end of the official working hours. The boundaries between professional and personal life have blurred, making it even more essential to find effective ways to leave work stress behind and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Experts emphasize that the key to this balance lies in utilizing leisure time after work to recharge and enhance productivity for the following day. As psychologist Sophie Mort explained in an interview “Managing your free time wisely allows the mind to relax, which positively impacts work performance.”
On the other hand, Lachlan Brown, an expert in mindfulness and personal development, notes that successful individuals understand the value of their time outside of work and do not waste it on unproductive activities. Therefore, specialists recommend avoiding these five common mistakes to make the most of post-work hours:
1. Continuing to Work After Hours
Heather Lamb, an author and workplace well-being expert, states, “The worst thing you can do after a busy workday is more work.” Research has shown that “those who continue working to complete tasks after working hours feel constant pressure, making them more prone to burnout and job dissatisfaction.”
Billy Roberts, a specialist in ADHD therapy, reinforces this idea: “It’s essential to give your brain time to rest.” Persisting in work mode after hours leaves no room for the brain to recover and reorganize, which can ultimately lead to “reduced motivation, creativity, and focus.”
Instead of working until bedtime, Lamb suggests engaging in low-stress activities like taking a walk or reading a book “to clear the mind, relax, and recharge for the next workday.”
2. Checking Work Notifications at Home
The National Sleep Foundation in the U.S. advises against continuously checking work notifications after returning home and into the night. Simply seeing incoming work emails from colleagues “can keep your brain on high alert, even if you don’t read them.”
Sophie Mort warns that checking work notifications after returning home keeps us in a constant mental state of problem-solving, which over time “drains productivity and energy levels and, in some cases, leads to burnout.”
She recommends turning off all work notifications upon leaving the workplace and keeping work phones and laptops in another room. These steps “help the brain fully detach from work, reducing exhaustion, preserving energy, and allowing for greater productivity.”
The truth is that “many work calls and emails are not actually urgent.” When it’s time to rest, turn off your phone to draw a clear boundary between your professional and personal life and “truly relax without distractions,” advises relationship expert Tina Fey.
Meanwhile, William Miller, a Swedish IT expert, suggests clearly defining your working hours and informing colleagues, supervisors, and clients. This helps “resist the temptation to check work emails or take work-related calls during your free time.”
3. Lack of Transition Activities Between Work and Personal Time
Research indicates that work and personal life have become so intertwined that many people experience “loss of focus and reduced motivation.” The boundaries between work and personal time have become increasingly unclear, especially for those who work from home.
According to Miller, “Creating transitional rituals,” such as taking a short walk, meditating, or listening to your favorite music, is an effective way to mentally separate work from personal life. These rituals “signal to your brain that you are transitioning from work mode to personal time.”
Sophie Mort echoes this sentiment, stating that without a “clear transition marker,” the brain may remain stuck in work mode after hours. She recommends performing a simple activity immediately after work—whether changing clothes or washing your face—and consistently repeating it “so your brain associates this action with the end of the workday.”
4. Filling the Evening with Exhausting Tasks
Instead of cramming too many chores into the evening—such as doing piles of laundry or grocery shopping—Billy Roberts advises spreading household tasks across multiple days. He explains that “accumulating all tasks at once leads to an overwhelming workload, which can demotivate us throughout the day.” The mere thought of exhausting tasks waiting after work can “weigh you down all day and drain your energy.”
To manage this, Roberts suggests ensuring that any necessary tasks after work are manageable and not overly draining. If unavoidable, he recommends incorporating enjoyable activities into the process, noting that “we can handle exhausting tasks better when we integrate them with more enjoyable activities.”
5. Neglecting a Healthy Sleep Routine
Sophie Mort stresses that if there is one takeaway from all of this, it is that “getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for productivity, performance, memory, creativity, and energy levels.” Conversely, neglecting a proper sleep routine can leave you feeling “tired and irritable the next day.”
Mort advises preparing for quality sleep by unwinding after work and avoiding caffeine consumption 6 to 8 hours before bedtime.
Miller also recommends engaging in relaxing activities, spending quality time with family and friends, or enjoying a hobby before heading to bed at a reasonable hour. Ensuring approximately seven hours of sleep per night helps you wake up refreshed and ready for the day, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
