Everyone is going to have a bad day at work once in awhile, but it’s not healthy to bring those bad vibes home with you. Read on for some tips to end even the worst work days on a good note.
Acknowledge the little victories.
Finish up as many small tasks as you can and don’t start a huge project right as you should be leaving for the day. The more you can cross off your list, the more accomplished you will feel and the less stress you’ll have going into the next day. Little victories are still victories! At the end of each day, write down what you completed. Instead of having a negative outlook with that thought that you got nothing done, you were probably more productive than you think.
Brain dump!
Before heading out for the day, put everything on your mind that’s work related down on paper. Write down everything you need to get done the following day, important deadlines, etc. This way, you’ll have time to recharge and won’t be up all night trying to remember everything you still have to accomplish.
Clean up before you head home.
A clean workspace matters. Go through and organize the stack of papers on your desk, throw out trash, and make sure you didn’t miss anything important. Your brain will feel less cluttered and you might feel somewhat at peace cleaning up your office after a crazy day. This will also make for a more productive morning the next day if you’re not walking into yesterday’s mess.
Practice work-life balance.
Going into the workday with the mindset that you aren’t going to check your work email after hours makes quitting time that much sweeter. You’ll have time to focus on your personal life, which will help avoid burnout. In addition to this, always have something in your personal life to look forward to. This could be anything from planning a vacation with your best friend to something as simple as ordering your favorite food for lunch. Having something to look forward to that you enjoy will always brighten your mood.
It’s understandable that some professionals can’t just ‘turn off’ work as easily as others, but any of these small changes can help make the end of your workday happier.