When you work at a desk job all day, you’re probably sick of staring at your computer screen only to come home and do some more sitting down and staring at screens. Maybe you’re tired of just coming home and doing nothing but sitting in front of your TV or computer and just being reminded of work and spending the rest of your night worrying about it.
If you’re looking for other effective ways you can relax, especially if you work at a desk job and want nothing more than to find relaxation methods that won’t remind you of being at your desk, here are some ways you can relax at home that doesn’t involve staring at screens and being glued to your desk:
When you clock out of work, make sure that you’re really clocked out of work
That sentence might not make sense now but bear with us. Essentially, what we mean is that when you clock out of work, then you have to get yourself into this mindset that you’re not at work anymore, therefore you don’t have to be thinking about it, let alone doing it. The moment you leave your office or step out of the building, you’re done for the day. Once you set a certain time every day when you ‘clock out’, even when you work at home, then you shouldn’t be working beyond that time as much as possible.
This means, no looking at or answering emails after you’ve clocked out, no thinking about work, and certainly not doing anything related to work past a certain hour. This not only sets a proper boundary between your work and home life, but you’re taking into account your limitations and making a conscious effort to give yourself time to rest. You might have to force yourself not to let your mind wander to work when you’re at home but you’ll feel relieved at the end of the day when you no longer have to think about work.
Make the most out of your commute
How do you usually spend your time when you’re commuting from work to home and vice versa? Whether you take the train or drive a car, the time you spend commuting can also be the time you spend unwinding from work. You can look at your commute time as sort of a bridge between two worlds as you transition from work mode to home mode. You’re slowly readjusting your mind and body to prepare yourself for some much-needed rest the moment you get home. So use your commute time wisely.
Listening to music is one common way people use their commute time, or you could listen to a podcast or an audiobook instead. As much as possible, listen to something that brings you joy and even makes you laugh. It can lighten the weight after a particularly long day and gives you something to look forward to when you leave the office. Your commute doesn’t have to be something that you dread. It can be valuable time that you can spend relaxing after work too.
Cook and eat right
If you haven’t eaten already, the first thing you probably do when you get home is fix yourself some dinner. It might be tempting to just call up the nearest pizza place or get on your favorite home delivery app to save yourself the trouble of cooking, but cooking can actually help you to relieve stress. Even if you’re not much of a cook, it’s always good to try something new every once in a while. Plus, what’s more comforting than a good home-cooked meal?
When all you do at work is sit down and type, it helps to get up and use your legs every once in a while to keep yourself from falling into the same boring monotonous pattern. Find an easy recipe that you can do in the quickest time possible and put your kitchen to good use. Who knows, cooking might just become your next favorite hobby.
Have a nice soak
After a long day, nothing’s better than having a nice relaxing bath and some time to yourself. You might see hot baths as a luxury that you allow yourself only on special occasions, but having a nice soak in an above-ground spa or hot tub every two or three days doesn’t hurt either. It can relieve all that tension in your muscles from being hunched up at your desk all day and overall, it just helps set the mood and gets you relaxed. It’s a great way to end a workday.
Find other hobbies
You might be used to just plopping down on the couch, picking a show or movie on Netflix, and then just staying there till you feel sleepy. Or, you might have your own computer at home and spend the rest of the night scouring the internet or playing games. Or you could just be sitting in bed with your phone out, mindlessly scrolling through social media.
Not to say that technology is inherently bad, but when you work in front of a computer all day, the last thing your eyes need is to be exposed to even more bright screens later on. Give them a break by finding other hobbies that you can do instead of staring at another screen. Take up painting or read a book. Listen to some music and pick up some knitting, or just go to bed early.
Finding other ways to kill time that doesn’t involve screens gives your eyes a rest and helps you to clearly distinguish work time from recreational time. Plus, you’re trying something new and finding more productive ways to spend your time.
Everyone has different ways to relax. What might be relaxing to you could be stressful for others. You might be used to doing the same thing as a means to relax but changing up the routine every once in a while helps a lot too so the things that relax you are never boring.
Meta title: Guide to Relaxing After Spending Hours at a Desk
meta desc: Do you work at a desk all day? Are you always tired at work but don’t know how to relax and unwind afterward? Learn some effective ways you can relax after your work.