Don’t leave it for tomorrow if it can be done today

Equally, don’t do it today if it can wait until tomorrow. This is not contradictory. If you can get something done before the end of the day, do it while it is important, rather than leave it to become urgent tomorrow. This will encourage you to prioritise and work more efficiently during the day as you know you have to stop working at 5pm or 6pm. “Organised workplaces are productive workplaces,” says Henry Stewart, chief happiness officer at Happy Ltd. “I probably only call someone out of hours once a year, and that’s only if it’s absolutely necessary. People shouldn’t be expected to work after hours.” If a task is not simple enough to complete within the last half hour in the office, write a to-do list for the morning, pack away your things and you will soon get used to the idea of winding down towards the end of the working day.

Redefine your limits

Accept that it is impossible to get everything done – there will always be one more thing you could get on with, but work needs to have an end point. Do your best every day and do not feel guilty about clocking off. Depending on the culture of your workplace, and the type of work you do, it may be difficult to mentally detach yourself after hours. You need to gradually redefine your limits in terms of understanding what you need in order to have a mental break and tell yourself you deserve to relax.

Cherish your life outside of work

Separating your working life and your leisure time is essential for better psychological, mental and physical health. For Germans, it is the idea of Feierabend – “calling it a day” – that upholds the evening as almost sacrosanct. Focusing on creative experiences through leisure and hobbies play a major role in alleviating stress, improving health and generally making us happier people (and workers). Whether it is going for a run, cooking a meal, toiling in the garden or catching up with friends that breaks you out of work mode, find something you enjoy, put it in the diary and stick to it.

Develop a wind-down routine

Establishing an unwinding ritual for when you get home retrains the mind to slow down – simple things such as changing out of your work clothes, having a bath or sitting outside in the fresh air can tell the brain it is time to relax. “I meditate to get my mind back in shape – even if it’s just for five minutes, pause and breathe, count to 10 five times, take time to think,” says Stewart. “We all need rest in order to be more productive and, in my experience, nobody gets their best ideas in the office.” Clear your head by reading a book, walking the dog, whatever you need to prepare your mind and body for rest. And, if you are catching up with loved ones, be present and try not to talk about work.

Ditch the tech

An email here and a push notification there can easily descend into an unhealthy merry-go-round, so much so that a high-flying political journalist once said she has to leave her phone on a shelf in another room to stop herself from working. “Don’t use emails on your phone at all, because you’ll only look at it, and turn off all work-related alerts,” says Stewart. “I only check my emails three times each day – at 11am, 2pm and 5pm, and that means I actually look forward to it.” Wean yourself off checking your phone by utilising settings such as “night shift” and “do not disturb” so you can glance at updates in your own time. It is a process, but learn to have peace of mind that you do not have to respond to everything instantly. If it is urgent, they will call you. If it’s not, it can wait until tomorrow.

This article was amended on 28 October 2019 to correct a quote and make it clear that some advice is dependent on the culture of a workplace.