Nothing is worse than getting home from work and just replaying the day over in your head, or thinking about what needs to be done the next day. It is difficult to separate home life from work, but is vital for your mental well being.
We talked to four experts on what they do to destress after a long day.
1. Go for a walk
“After a very long work day, all I can think about is getting some fresh air and clearing my mind. No matter the weather or if I feel absolutely drained, I always make time for a walk throughout the weekday. Depending on the day, I either listen to music, a podcast or nothing at all and just take in the sound around me. Walking for me is therapeutic and has helped me clear my head from the day.
I have seen a huge difference in my mood, my health and my productivity when I started walking and could not give up this feeling. I also use my phone to track my routes and plan out new ones once I start to crave a different scenery. In the winter I simply bundle up and look for paths that have been previously walked on to make it easier. A day does not go by where I am not walking. I really encourage people to get out there and stay active because it does wonders for stress.”
-Tudor Armand Ciuleanu, CEO/Founder of RebelDot
2. Work on a puzzle/mind games
“I have always loved a little healthy competition, especially when it means competing with myself and trying to improve in something. I recently started putting together puzzles, and buying little mini puzzle games. I found as I was doing them I focused less on the stress from work and in general, life. Little games like these are also great for your brain and I have noticed how much clearer my mind is.
I now try to do work on these puzzles when I get home from work, even if it is just for half an hour. I also find I am so focused on the challenge in front of me that I am looking at my phone or laptop a lot less. I always found when I got home I would be on my phone catching up on my social media and next thing I knew, it had been two hours and my eyes would be so blurry from the screen. Doing these puzzles has really helped with my overall stress and overall well being.”
-Amit Raj, Founder of The Links Guy
3. Call a friend or family member
“I understand that after a long day, most people want to keep to themselves and not be bothered. But I love catching up with family and friends, and there is no better time than after we both have finished working. I am a great listener and an even better ranter and it helps to destress me when I can talk about the day I had.
I find letting out all my woes allows me to get it off my chest and then I can continue on with my evening. I always make sure whoever I am calling is okay with me ranting as I don’t want to bother them.”
-John Gluch, Owner of The Gluch Group
4. Meditate
“Although meditation is new to me, I have already found that it has made such a difference in my day. I have transformed my bedroom into a meditation sanctuary with incense, blackout curtains and a comfy sitting pillow. I also play soothing music in the background while I try to clear my mind. Meditating daily has helped my anxiety immensely and I find I am more productive at work because I can clear my mind easily and focus on the task at hand.
There are many ways to help decompress after a long work day, and it is important to find what works best for you. Maybe try one of the tips above to help make the weekday just a little bit more bearable.”
-Saskia Ketz, Founder of Mojomox
