End-of-work ritual: switch off from work in 20 minutes

In the past, the journey home did this job by itself. In a home office, there are sometimes only a few steps between the last email and dinner. Then work keeps running in your head, often into the night. This article shows how to build a transition in 20 minutes that works even without a commute.

Why switching off brings measurable benefits

Occupational psychology calls mentally switching off after work “detachment”. An analysis of 86 publications with a total of 38,124 employees examined what it is linked to. People who switch off well after work reported less exhaustion, more satisfaction, better sleep and fewer physical complaints. Those who keep reading emails or doing work-related tasks in their free time find it much harder to switch off.

Two limitations belong here. These are associations, not proven causes. And for stress markers in the body, such as hormones in the blood, the analysis found no clear link. The feeling improves; whether the body measurably follows is open.

A ritual is a tool for exactly this kind of switching off. It is short, repeatable and makes the end of the working day visible.

The ritual in four steps

1. Closing the day (5 minutes)

Write down what was finished today and what comes first tomorrow. Three lines are enough. The point is not order but relief: what is on paper no longer has to be held in your head. Then close your email program and turn off work notifications on your phone.

2. Setting a threshold (2 minutes)

Do something that belongs only to the end of work. Close the laptop and put it in a drawer. Change out of your work clothes, even if it is only a different shirt. Switch off the light at your desk. The body learns such signals quickly if they are the same every day.

3. Moving (10 minutes)

A short walk around the block replaces the old journey home. If you do not want to go out, shake out your arms, roll your shoulders and stretch your neck. Movement is the part many people leave out, and at the same time the one that helps most after a day at the screen.

4. Winding down (5 minutes)

Sit comfortably and breathe slowly: about four seconds in, six seconds out. A systematic review of 15 studies found that fewer than ten breaths per minute led to more relaxation, less anxiety and higher heart rate variability, a sign of more calm in the nervous system. If you like, combine this with warmth and pressure: a warm towel on the neck, a massage cushion behind your back or a few minutes of self-massage for the neck.

What makes the ritual stronger

• Always the same: The same order, ideally at the same time. Habit is the core, not technique.
• A scent as a marker: A room fragrance that only runs in the evening becomes a signal for the end of work. What scents do and do not do according to current knowledge is covered in Room fragrance and relaxation. You will find a selection under Room fragrance.
• No screen straight afterwards: If you start scrolling through news immediately after the ritual, you bring the day back into your head.
• A fixed place: The armchair, the bench in the hall, the balcony. Anything but the desk.

When 20 minutes is too much

Even a short version works better than none. The minimum version takes five minutes: three lines for tomorrow, laptop closed, two minutes of slow breathing. All that matters is that the end of the working day is an action and does not simply happen.

If you are out and about in Hamburg after work, you can also take the break elsewhere. In the NAIPO Relax Lounge you book a private room with a massage chair, in HafenCity or at Ballindamm, for 30 minutes or an hour. That is an option for days when switching off at home does not work, not a fixed part of the ritual. For home use, there are massage cushions that you place over a chair or sofa.

When a ritual is not enough

A ritual helps with the normal aftermath of a busy day. It does not help with permanent overload. If you sleep badly for weeks, feel exhausted in the morning, no longer enjoy anything or notice physical symptoms such as a racing heart and pressure on the chest, talk to your GP. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call 112 in Germany or 999 in the UK immediately. In the UK, Samaritans can be reached free of charge, day and night, on 116 123.

What else helps against stress in everyday life, according to the evidence, is summarised in Reducing stress in everyday life. For the last part of the evening, there is Massage before bedtime.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to switch off after work?

With a fixed transition. Close the day in writing, set a visible threshold such as changing clothes or putting the laptop away, move briefly and breathe slowly for a few minutes. Keep emails and work chats closed afterwards.

How long does it take for a ritual to work?

Some people feel the difference on the first evening, because the day has a clear end. A ritual only becomes a habit after a few weeks in which you do it the same way every working day.

Does exercise after work help you switch off?

Movement is a good part of the transition, because it turns your mind to something else. It does not have to be a workout. Ten minutes on foot is enough as a bridge between work and evening.

Sources

• Wendsche J, Lohmann-Haislah A (2017): A meta-analysis on antecedents and outcomes of detachment from work. Frontiers in Psychology. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02072
• Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M et al. (2018): How breath-control can change your life: a systematic review on psycho-physiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353

This article does not replace medical advice.