If you're anything like 85% of Americans, you often suffer from work-related stress. Untreated stress will seep into your home life and can cause unhappiness after work, too.
If you are anxious about your stress levels affecting your life outside of work, it is time to learn how to relax. You can take part in many activities after work to help alleviate stress and make life more enjoyable.
Keep reading to learn how to kick back and relax after work.
1. Start a Self-Care Ritual
One of our favorite tips on relaxing after work is to start a post-work self-care ritual.
The first thing you do when you wake up is pouring yourself a cup of coffee. Then you take a few blissful moments to sip and enjoy it before getting ready for work. If this is what your mornings look like, you partake in a daily ritual without even knowing it.
Your after-work ritual should include activities that help you unwind and forget your workday.
Maybe you'll have another cup of coffee when you get home while listening to your spouse or children talk about their day. Or perhaps you'll sink into a hot tub filled with Epsom salts. If you're a gym-goer, you might log a workout before you set foot in your home.
If you're a busy Mom or Dad, your self-care ritual might have to wait until after the kids go to bed. There's no right or wrong way to take care of yourself. The key is to make sure you're making time everyday for relaxing after work.
2. Go for a Walk
Another great way to unwind after work is to go for a walk. You can do this alone, with your spouse, or even your entire family. If you go alone, listen to your favorite music or podcasts to pass the time.
Not only is walking a great form of exercise, but it can also boost your energy. Studies show that it can provide a bigger energy return than a cup of coffee.
If work has been getting you down lately, walking can improve your mental health. A brisk walk can reduce anxiety, depression and reverse negative mindsets.
3. Have a Drink, Puff, or CBD Serving
Though large amounts of alcohol can increase the body's stress response, the right amount can have the opposite reaction. Alcohol is both a sedative and a depressant, so it'll affect your body's central nervous system. It can help you take your mind off of the stressors at work so you can relax afterward.
Having an occasional drink won't be dangerous, provided you have no health conditions or addictions. Remember, if you drink too much too often or become an alcoholic, you'll build up a tolerance. This tolerance can take away the de-stressing effects of alcohol and cause more anxiety and stress.
If you prefer to smoke weed and it's legal in your area (or you have a medical cannabis card), a few puffs after work can help you unwind. A low dose of THC can help you cope better with your work-related stress, so find a cannabis strain that has low THC levels.
A CBD tincture is an even better choice. Put some CBD oil in your post-work coffee or even in your before-bed tea to enjoy the benefits.
Don't smoke or toke too much, however. If you find that you need the post-work toke or drink to thrive or survive, choose another unwinding technique from our list.
4. Log Out of Your E-Mail
If you receive work emails on your personal phone or get alerts on your home computer, turn them off. You can't expect to be able to unwind if you're constantly getting work-related notifications.
Up until recently, employees have always been able to "turn off" work mode when they leave the office for the day. Modern technology has made us always available, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Get comfortable setting boundaries to find work/life balance. Unplug and relax!
5. Make Fun Plans for the Weekdays
You don't have to be working for the weekend to enjoy life. If you're like most people, you schedule all your fun events and outings for the weekend. While it is nice to have a full day to schedule events, there are still five other days you could be having fun on.
Schedule a weekly yoga or kickboxing meet up with a friend during the week. Treat yourself to a weekly massage or take yourself out for lunch.
Plan events for after work that will get you excited to wake up and start your day.
6. Meditate
Some people might think that meditation is a "woo woo" practice with no real benefits. These people couldn't be more wrong.
Studies have proven that consistent meditation can increase one's resiliency to stress. The mindfulness that comes with a meditation practice dampens activity in our brains' amygdala. It also increases the connection between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex.
This ultimately leads to us being less reactive to life's stressors and recovering faster if we experience stress.
Meditation doesn't have to look the way movies and television makes us believe it has to. The goal of meditating is to learn how to return to and remain in the present moment.
There are many meditation apps and channels on YouTube to follow for inspiration. Don't get caught up in what you think meditation is supposed to look like. Enjoy a few minutes to yourself every day when you relax after work to focus on your practice and reap the benefits.
Allow Yourself Time to Relax After Work
It's normal to feel a little apprehensive about allowing yourself to relax after work. Our society glorifies busyness, so slowing down and allowing relaxation might feel alien at first. Know that giving yourself permission to relax will not only benefit you at the moment, but your work, home, and family life, too.
