Work “Wind Down“ Routine

The Work “Wind-Down” Routine

When working from home, especially under difficult circumstances, it can feel hard to separate work from your personal life.

Tait Shanafelt, the Chief Wellness Officer for Stanford Medicine has a useful “winding down” routine to make sure you leave work behind for the day and don’t bring stress into your personal zone.

Just follow 3 steps every day to wind down from work.

💁 1. Acknowledge a difficulty to let it go

Difficulties come and go at work, but during uncertain times, they become magnified and can affect us on a deep level.

Instead of trying to push them away, acknowledge the difficulties you face each day. Today, there was some misalignment which slowed things down 😔

Once it’s acknowledged, make a conscious decision to let it go. It happens, we're aligned now 😌

👋 2. Say a proper goodbye

As part of your work “wind-down” routine, make an effort to say a proper goodbye to your team at the end of the day. This can be as simple as: “I’m signing off for the day - see you all in the morning!”

Intentionally closing your day will help you shift out of work mode, and remind your team to sign off, too.

😊 3. Reflect on 3 things that went well

It’s easy to feel underwater with everything that’s going on - especially if you’re juggling multiple responsibilities or worries.

Identifying 3 things that went well helps end your day on a positive note, and builds your resilience during tough times.

Once your “wind-down” routine is complete, it’s time to turn your attention to home and rest, relax, and refresh!