If Your Work Day Starts When You Wake Up, Try This...

When I woke up today, the first thing I did was reach for my phone and check my email.

WHAT A MISTAKE.

Now I’m super stressed and thinking about work.

Right away.
Before I’ve even thought of what I want for breakfast.

Before I’ve even thought if I’m hungry or not.

One of the biggest things we can do to help change that is to create mental boundaries.

Essentially, we need ways to start and end our work day to help us answer “when am I at work?” and “when am I at home?” (It used to be so clear when we commuted.)

Rituals are a great way to create boundaries.

An action or a change that you make from one state into another, they create transition and delineation. The morning and end-of-day rituals don’t even have to be the same.

Here are some ideas for rituals to separate your work:

1. Fake a commute.
   Go outside for a walk or a breath of fresh air before coming in.
   

2. Change Your Clothes.
   Maybe, like Mr Rogers, you put on a sweater and a pair of shoes to work and then take them off to signal that you’re done.
   

3. Self Care.
   Start your day with a workout and a shower. End it with a stretching routine.
   

4. Mindfulness.
   Work doesn’t start until you finish your 10 minute meditation.
   

5. Prepare.
   End your day by making tomorrow’s to-do list.
   

6. Food/Drink.
   Start your workday by making breakfast or brewing some coffee.

Whatever you choose, these mental cues tell your brain that the work day has begun and when it is over. Because without these boundaries you’re constantly on and available, constantly working, and never fully relaxed or resting at home.

And that’s an easy recipe for burnout.

So are you working from home?
Or living at work?

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Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regular posts on Medium and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jake Kahana is a cofounder of Caveday. Sign up for his personal emails, called “The Email Refrigerator” here.