(Read in 2 minutes)

It’s a good way to ditch from stress mode, leave your workplace away and your rest time must be separated from work. The initial principle we will talk today, it is that repose must be distinguished from labor. One ought to transition from a state of stress to one of relaxation.

This necessitates that we abstain from working during periods of rest, which is referred to as “psychological detachment.” In a 2017 study [1], which tracked over 26,000 individuals, including judges, teachers, nurses, office workers, and more, researchers examined what people did after leaving work. The findings indicated that individuals who continued to think about work after hours were more likely to experience burnout. Conversely, those who refrained from thinking about work after hours were happier mentally and healthier physically.

This presents a challenge in the era of epidemics and post-epidemics. Nowadays, many people work from home, and work and life are intertwined. How does one transition? Some researchers propose that even if one’s home serves as their office, they should establish a sense of ritual and separate work and rest areas.

• During working hours, don formal attire and immediately change into casual clothing after work.
• Use a designated laptop computer for work and another for leisure activities.
• Endeavor not to respond to work calls and messages outside of working hours.
  

In an interview, I heard Ma Boyong share his work experience, which aligns with this approach. Ma Boyong is a writer who works from home, but he rents an office and goes there every morning. He leaves at five in the evening. When he writes novels, he must do so in the office and not think about them at home. This technique allows him to achieve optimal writing efficiency.

Based on what we have learn above, we can try separating work and rest is crucial for our mental and physical well-being. Psychological detachment, which involves refraining from work-related activities during periods of rest, is essential to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

In the era of epidemics and post-epidemics, where many people are working from home, it is particularly challenging to establish a clear boundary between work and rest. However, by implementing some simple habits like wearing formal attire during working hours, using a dedicated laptop for work, and refraining from responding to work calls and messages outside of working hours, we can create a sense of ritual and separate work and rest areas.

In addition, we can also learn from Ma Boyong’s experience that having a designated workspace can help us achieve optimal productivity. By having a specific space for work, we can train our mind to associate that space with work-related activities, which can increase our focus and efficiency.

To turn these insights into action, we can start by implementing some of the suggested habits into our daily routine. For instance, we can set a specific time to change into casual clothes after work or establish a designated workspace at home. By taking small steps towards separating work and rest, we can improve our overall well-being and productivity.

Reference:

[1] Bennett, AA, Bakker, AB, Field, JG. Recovery from work-related effort: A meta-analysis. J Organ Behav. 2018; 39: 262– 275. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2217