You've finally clocked off after a long day of work and you're looking forward to an evening of relaxing and bingeing that show your friends keep telling you to watch. Yet your brain keeps flicking back to work matters, like upcoming meetings or tasks you still need to do.

If this sounds familiar, we're going to give you some tips and strategies to help you properly relax after a long day at work. By redirecting your time and attention away from those work-related thoughts, your stress levels will reduce and your mental and physical health will benefit. Plus you'll finally get to enjoy that binge-worthy show!

Just remember that if you need support or someone to talk to, our Sonder support team is available 24/7 to chat whenever you need it.

It may sound simple, but changing out of your work clothes after clocking off helps create boundaries and puts your mind into 'relax' mode. Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that the work day is over, and your brain will start to create an association between changing out of workwear and time to unwind. Plus, it's just more comfortable to be in sweats when you're at home than in your work outfit!

Try a simple 'grounding' exercise to help clear your mind, relax your body and help you to switch gears and refocus into your home time. An example of a grounding exercise is to find five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste. Re-engaging with your senses gets you out of your head and into your body. Try it! You'll be surprised how much it helps to refocus and relax you.

Whether it's to pump yourself up or to get yourself in the right mood, listening to music or a podcaster's soothing voice helps get you in a great headspace. After you clock off for the day, pop on a playlist of your favourite tunes or an episode of a podcast you love and put yourself in a relaxing post-work mood.

It's impossible to relax and unwind after work if you're constantly checking your phone for calls, texts, and emails related to work, especially if you work from home. So set yourself some hard boundaries by switching off your phone and any work communications after a certain time. That way you won't be tempted to look at anything work-related during your downtime and your brain can properly switch off.

Exercising is a great way to improve your mental and physical health, so consider doing something active after work. Whether it's a simple walk around the block for some fresh air or a two-hour indoor bouldering session with some friends, using exercise as a 'transition activity' will help to signal the end of your work day, whilst also moving your body! After sitting down all day, it will also do wonders for your mood.

This seems obvious, but there are people who may take their work home with them so they can do more later. This means that people are merely switching to 'standby' mode rather than properly unwinding as the thought of work is never far away. Try to set yourself a clear boundary by leaving work stuff at work.

If you work from home or have to bring work back home with you, make sure you set boundaries between the activities, like different spaces or times that you access work. Have a quiet place to do your work, get it done, then leave it behind (literally!). Set time limits if you have to, and change out of your workwear so you can get your brain into 'unwind' mode.

If you have any questions or need extra support, we're here to help you anytime in any language. Simply start a chat with us via the home screen of the Sonder app.

Information sourced from: Beyond Blue, Indeed, nib, and VicHealth

Image credit: Monsters, Inc

All content is created and published for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional.