How to Stop Working After Hours
A few weeks ago, I went camping in rural Idaho for a few days. Quite by accident, the trip turned out to be the first time when I actually disconnected from the Internet for any significant period of time, probably in 10 years.
Thanks to smartphones and affordable Wi-Fi, we are always in touch with the world. It’s awesome until you try to take a vacation and forget about work for a few days or, frankly, just enjoy a Tuesday night at home. To do this, Art Markman, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, offers several suggestions. He wrote about some of them this week in the Harvard Business Review .
Think about what you are doing, not about work.
When you’re away from the office, a little bit of FOMO comes into play as to what you’re missing out on while you’re away. What if you miss an important email? Or does someone really need your input on the proposal? Understandably, you should check your email diligently while you sit on the beach just in case. Except you shouldn’t.
Instead, Markman suggests focusing on all the great things that you are going to do while you are not at work, rather than what you miss out on when you are not. If you plan to “not think about work,” you are pretty much setting yourself up for failure. You’re thinking about work now, aren’t you?
Focus on the awesome dinner you’re about to go to or the quality time you are spending with your kids. The more specific the thing, the better. For example, instead of thinking about “family time,” think of a movie night you are planning with the whole family.
Set yourself up for success
Marksman uses an analogy: You don’t quit smoking by carrying a pack of cigarettes with you. Instead, he suggests postponing anything work-related so that there is no temptation. Turn off your work phone (or log out of your work email on your phone), move your computer out of the way, rather than leaving it ready to turn on. The more difficult it is for you to access these working materials, the more you will probably think twice before using.
Still need suggestions? Markman has some more great trip tips in his story on the Harvard Business Reviews website .