MArilyn Monroe once said, “A career is great, but you can’t curl up with it on a cold night.” Only these days is this possible. Advances in technology, the rise of hybrid and remote work, and a growing culture of presenteeism (working longer than contractually required or while sick) are blurring the lines between work and play.
Research Business in the community (BITC), the UK network for responsible business, reveals that 55% of employees feel the need to answer calls or check emails outside of work, while a high workload forces two in five to work overtime. However, withdrawing from work when you're not working (psychological detachment, to give it its scientific name) is vital not only for your health, but also for your productivity.
“Empirical research found a positive association between psychological detachment, which includes refraining from work-related tasks as well as mental disconnection during non-work hours, and work performance,” says Sabine Sonnentag, professor of work and organizational psychology at the University of Mannheim, Germany. “Conversely, a lack of psychological detachment is associated with low mood and poorer well-being.”
The irony is that the higher the level of stressors at work – including excessive workload, time pressure or conflicts with colleagues – the more difficult it is to achieve psychological detachment, which increases the likelihood that you will ruminate in the evening or even sneak away to open your laptop. Sonnentag calls it recovery paradox: “Higher exposure to work stressors both requires and impedes recovery,” she explains.
Claire Ashleyformer therapist and author Burnout Doctor recommends ending each workday with the same specific activity or routine. “Keeping up with a daily ritual serves as a signal to deactivate the stress response system,” she says. “I like to do some movement, other people might want to put on loud music and jump around or do Wordle. Over time, it becomes like Pavlov's response, signaling to your body that the day's work is over.”
Creating a clear separation between work and leisure is especially important if, for example, 40% Britons, you now work entirely or partially from home. While hybrid or home working has its benefits—the ability to avoid the time, expense and stress of commuting, cooking your own lunch, greater flexibility with your work hours—people who work remotely are often invested in it. longer hours compared to office workers (although the researchers in this US study note that this may be due to more interruptions and interruptions). IN survey Of the more than 8,000 people who switched to remote work as a result of the pandemic, 52% said they regularly work longer hours than before.
“It can be very difficult when your home is also your workplace,” says Ashley. “You need physical as well as mental separation. Without a designated work area where you can close the door, it's even more important to 'clear your desk' and put work matters out of sight.”
However, before doing so, it may be worth taking stock. A study from Ball State University in Indiana found that leaving unfinished work tasks, especially important ones, was associated with poor psychological detachment in the evening. It's not about pulling an all-nighter: “Taking a few minutes before you leave to jot down some thoughts about how you'll tackle an unfinished task the next day can help you switch off,” says Sonnentag.
Scheduling activities after work is a good trick for those who find it difficult to complete the workday. Activities that involve commitment, financial or social, such as signing up for a fitness class, spending time at a pottery studio, or meeting friends, are especially helpful. But don't interrupt your downtime by checking work, Ashley warns. If turning off notifications isn't enough, turn off relevant apps from your phone when you're not at work. Better yet, have a separate work phone number—with a voicemail greeting telling you your office hours or when you'll next check it.
An active lifestyle is a good way to switch off after work. It was one of three successful strategies identified in the 2023 report. study on post-work recovery conducted at the Center for Work, Organization and Wellbeing at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. The other two spent time with friends and family and took up hobbies such as sewing or gardening.
Sonnentag, however, believes that what we think and feel (the experience of recovery) during any given activity, be it knitting, baking or meditation) is more important than the activity itself when it comes to how effectively it helps us recover from work. “Our research has identified four essential recuperative experiences for rejuvenation and relaxation,” she says. It is psychological detachment—for example, forgetting about work (relaxation, mastery) and successfully completing tasks or tasks—that enhances self-esteem and autonomy, which means a sense of control over how you spend your free time.
Having options is especially important if you're trying to resolve the recovery paradox, because “an activity that offers a recovery experience for one person may not be beneficial for another,” Sonnentag says. Often being offered a long, candlelit bath may be the last thing you need.
Whether you work from home or not, the connectivity of the digital age ensures work is always at our fingertips, says Louise Cashman, business psychologist and wellbeing manager at a major consultancy. “Constantly bombarded with notifications, there is a sense of ever-increasing demands on our time and attention, a need to always be available.” This may have its consequences. Recent study Researchers at the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University found that using work email during leisure time was associated with poorer physical and psychological health.
However, being forced to be at the end of an “electronic leash” when not at work is not a personal failing. This is often due to workplace culture. In a study conducted in Manchester, more than a third of workers said their boss regularly emailed them outside of work hours, and a quarter said they expected a response to emails during their free time.
“We have a big problem with presenteeism in this country,” Ashley says. “This is counterproductive. Staying 'on' all the time deprives employees of the physical and mental rest they need and can lead to burnout.” She said while the prevalence of burnout in the UK peaked during and immediately after the pandemic, “the data shows that one in five remains at high risk“
Cashman experienced burnout in her previous job as a general practitioner. That's what led her to pursue a career focusing on workplace wellness (a role she says was almost non-existent before the pandemic). She is a supporter Model drama for well-being in the workplace is an acronym that stands for detachment, relaxation, autonomy, mastery, meaning and belonging (closely reflecting Sonnentag's findings on the experience of recovery).
While writing this article, I couldn't help but notice that Sonnentag and I were communicating outside of work hours. When I point this out, she says, “I work on weekends.” as such It’s not necessarily a problem, it’s about setting boundaries that are right for you.”
Cashman agrees. “As technology and workplace culture blur the lines between work and non-work time, we are challenged to create our own. This could be an out-of-office message during non-work hours. I even wear one if I'm having a particularly stressful day or week – it helps relieve stress and manage others' expectations.”
“Boundaries shouldn’t be seen as avoiding or making others’ lives more difficult,” Ashley says. “In fact, clearly communicating your boundaries makes not only your life easier, but also the lives of others because they know what they can expect from you.”
Once you have set work-related boundaries, you must stick to them. “It can be difficult,” says Ashley, “especially if you love people, but it gets easier over time.”
It's tempting to think of work as stressful, energy-draining—something we do because we have to. But this ignores the fact that many people love their jobs. In the 2023 Randstad work monitor reportsurveying more than 35,000 people in 15 countries, 48% of people said they would “quit their job if it got in the way of their enjoyment of life”, implying that the demands of the 21st century workplace are not necessarily viewed negatively.
If you live and breathe your job, is there any real need to draw a line between work and play? Ashley believes there is. “Most cases of burnout start with people who love their jobs,” she says. “Everyone needs a rest.”
Sunny day research shows that when we reflect positively on work in the evening – about our role in general or about specific achievements or successes – it improves “affective well-being” (mood and positive thoughts); benefits that are transferred to the next working day.
“However, even thinking positively about your work can eventually become draining,” she says.
