How to disconnect from work in your free time

It’s not easy. Disconnecting from work is a pending matter for many employees. Something comprehensible, yet not ideal. The daily routine, that encompasses, in most cases, at least 8 hours of mental and physical dedication to labor performance, results in difficulties for many people to forget their jobs on their free time.

A recent study carried out by Cobee affirms that 57% of employees cannot avoid thinking about work when they are not working; besides, almost 3 out of every 10 workers suffers from stress due to lack of conciliation or poor flexibility offered in their companies. Only a 23% of them says they are able to completely forget about their jobs during their leisure time.

The importance of balancing our personal and professional lives

Trying to find the balance between investing time in work and investing it in ourselves is key. The consequences of not doing it could affect different areas of our lives.

People unable to disconnect might see their social lives affected. Staying late in their office or looking constantly at their phones or computers means less dedication for their families or friends.

Mind and body also suffer from this. Apart from headaches, typical consequence of stress, these people can experiment blood pressure rises, and, in some cases, even heart diseases. On the other hand, psychological diseases like anxiety or depression are also common.

How to disconnect from work

To fully enjoy your personal life, and also increment the productivity at your job, you must allow yourself to rest.

One of the keys to get it is technological disconnection. Turning your phone and computer off when you finish your shift are two actions that will keep you less worried about topics that should remain at the workplace. It’s also recommendable to respect -and, as far as possible, demand respect for- your schedule. The Portuguese government has recently forbidden calls from bosses outside of the work hours. Something other European countries are also thinking of in order to protect their employees’ rights and health.

So, what can you do with that time that is meant for you? It depends on your preferences. It’s time you can spend with yourself and your loved ones. If you have a hobby, it might be a good time to enjoy it. Maybe you prefer to take care of your body, by doing some sport. Or, perhaps, your mind, through practices like mindfulness, that will help you reduce your stress levels and teach you how to be in the present.

Despite the relevance of the topic, many times it doesn’t depend on the employee to disconnect from work. Something curious, since it can benefit the health and happiness of workers. And a happy employee will be a productive, dedicated one, who will have many reasons to stay in the organization.