If you have a demanding job or a generally hectic schedule at work, you probably find it hard to let go of the pressures of the day when you get home.
A busy work life, combined with other responsibilities you may have when you walk through the front door (cooking, cleaning, watching after your children, etc.) can make even the most organized multi-tasker feel exhausted.
Unfortunately, living like this on a daily basis without a break can be detrimental to your health. And you don’t want that. I’m here to help you ease your mind and learn how to relax by showing you the best ways to unwind after work.
Follow these tips below and you’ll feel rejuvenated each and every day.
8 Tips to Relax and Unwind After Work
1. Disconnect
One of the top things to do after work to relax is to disconnect from all of your mobile devices and computers. This will help you avoid bringing work home with you.
Being connected to your email or receiving text messages from coworkers make it difficult to unwind once you leave the office.
You owe it to yourself to disconnect from work and leave those stresses behind while taking some time for yourself and your family. So, shut everything off and don’t touch a work-connect device until the next morning!
2. Change Clothes
Another simple way for how to unwind after a hard day at work is to change into comfortable clothes.
Wearing the same outfit that you wore to work all day, and staying in it until you go to bed, makes it difficult for you to remove yourself from the stresses of the day.
To really relax, kick off those work clothes and change into a comfortable outfit like a t-shirt and shorts, or pants if it’s cold. This small act of a wardrobe change can really shift your mood from work-mode to relax-mode.
3. Listen to Calming Music
Studies show that music has a big impact on your mood and creates peaks in your emotions.
If your favorite music is rock and roll, it’s better to listen to tunes like that in the car and not when you get home from work.
Loud, fast music can keep you revved up for long periods of time even after you hit the stop button. Therefore, it’s better to put on some calm, soft music like instrumental jazz or classical.
Even if you don’t like that type of music, it still has a soothing effect on your mood and will help you feel more relaxed, faster. [1]
4. Stretch
If you sit all day at work, this can often lead to you feeling stiff, cramped, and tired once you get home.
To combat the negative side effects of sitting, a few simple stretches can help relieve any tension that has built up in your muscles from the day.
You can do simple stretches at home or join a wellness center where you can enjoy group fitness classes, personal training, and more to get a total body workout.
5. Meditate
People often associate meditation as something you only do when you’re attending a yoga class or taking a retreat into the woods.
However, meditating at home after work is a great way to unwind and relieve both mental and physical stress.
Just taking a few minutes to close your eyes and take deep breathes can really bring peace to your mind and body. Try to dedicate a specific space in your home for meditating after work so that no one else disturbs you.
If you can’t meditate immediately when you get home because of other responsibilities like children, try to take some time to do it in your car before you leave work or in the driveway when you get home. Even a short five-minute mini-session is better than none at all.
6. Take a Hot Shower or Bath
If you bathe in the morning as part of your daily routine, you may want to consider moving it to the end of the day.
Water is calming for both the body and mind and taking a hot shower or bath is one of the easiest ways to unwind after work. So, try it sometime this week.
Additionally, rain shower heads are much more soothing to bathe under than your standard shower head. If you’ve ever experienced this at a hotel or resort then you know exactly what I mean.
If not, you owe it to yourself to experience a rainfall shower.
These types of shower heads are relatively cheap to buy and takes only minutes to install. Take a look at my top rated rain shower head reviews to learn more about them.
7. Enjoy a Massage
If you have a loving spouse or partner at home who is willing to give you a back massage, take them up on it! Massages are a great way to induce relaxation for your whole body.
However, not everyone has a person in their life who will provide them with this type of luxury.
A more reliable (and long-term) option is to buy yourself an inexpensive massage recliner or chair. The vibrating features can usually do just as good of a massage as a partner can, and it never gets tired!
This piece of furniture is a great investment for anyone who really wants to relax after work. If you’re interested in finding the best one for your home, take a look at my cheapest massage chair reviews. On that page, I show you what top choices are available as well as the most important features to look for in a budget recliner and chair.
8. Read a Book
If you really want to escape from it all, make it a habit to bury your nose it a good book after a long day at work.
Books instantly relax the mind because they force us to stop thinking about the stresses of our real life and help us lose ourselves in a great story.
If you don’t already have a library card, you should consider getting one. That way you can have thousands of books at your disposal to help you unwind after work. Plus, the act of going to the library to find a book is a relaxing event in and of itself.
While you’re reading it’s always relaxing to sip on some type of beverage. If you like coffee and don’t already own an espresso machine, you may want to think about getting one.
Espresso machines can make all sorts of hot and delicious coffee drinks such as cappuccinos, lattes, Americanos, and more. To find one that doesn’t break the bank, check out my cheapest espresso machine guide.
If soda, beer, or wine is your drink of choice, another good appliance to have in the house is a beverage refrigerator. This small unit can free up your kitchen fridge from stocking your favorite drinks and can keep them a much colder temperature.
If this sounds appealing to you, I have another guide on the best beverage refrigerator that shows you what the top 5 products are you can buy.
That’s It…
If you make it a goal to try and do one or more of these 8 things every day after work, you should find yourself feeling more relaxed because of it. And if you can stick to it, you’ll prove to yourself that you don’t have to do much to achieve peace.
Relaxing is an integral part of staying healthy and I hope these tips have helped.
Reference:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3734071/
