Quick question: How many times have you “finished work” only to find yourself checking Slack from the couch three hours later? (If you’re anything like me, the answer is… a lot.)
That’s why I started doing something called a “shutdown ritual.” It’s a quick routine to tell my brain that my workday is over.
I keep it super simple. Here’s my actual process:
- Close all open browser tabs (and if needed, I make quick notes about where I left off on projects/tasks)
- Check tomorrow’s calendar
- Write down tomorrow’s priorities in my bullet journal (I try to limit it to my top 3, but some days the list can get really long)
- Take three deep breaths (breath in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, breath out for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4… and repeat)
- Say out loud: “I’m done working for the day”
That last one felt silly at first, but there’s something about declaring it that makes it stick.
Another tip: I have an automation on my iPhone that automatically sets my Focus to “Home,” which shuts off work app notifications.
Would love to hear: Do you have any end-of-day rituals? Hit reply and tell me – I’m always looking for new ideas!
– Amy
