At then end of the day it can be hard to let go of all the stress of your job. You may find yourself dwelling on problems from the day, or upcoming projects in the future. While having time to think and process your workday is important, it’s also important to let go of that work related stress when you get home. Prolonged stress can have detrimental effects on your health, no matter what the source. If you’re suffering from stress related anxiety or insomnia chances are your performance at work is also be effected. Break the stress cycle! Here’s how: 

Give yourself time to process:

Don’t repress the feelings you have about your workday. Internalizing these feelings can feel like a good idea, but unresolved emotions have a bad habit of coming out where you least expect them. Don’t let your family or friends be on the receiving end of your misplaced frustration or stress. Set aside a safe time to process the feelings of the workday, whether it’s puzzling over the next step in a project or being mad at someone who stole your lunch from the break room (again!). A commute can be a perfect time to think about your workday. You can use this time to journal, vent, call a friend, make a list, or just think. But the point of making time for these feelings is to have a time when you set them aside.  Make a rule: once you enter the front door of your house- no more work thoughts.

Take a break from thinking:

One trap chronically stressed people tend to fall into is replacing one stress for another. So once you’re in the door, don’t set aside your work thoughts just to replace them with dinner and laundry stress. Give yourself a break! Pick something that you love to do that is stimulating or relaxing depending on your energy level when you come home. A shower is a nice way to relax and get into a different mindset, and Sudoku puzzles are a great way to entertain an active mind without going into a stress spiral. Going on a walk is a great low impact exercise that keeps you active and builds community as you get to know your neighbors. Once you’ve had time to unwind you can move on to the rest of your evening without feeling like you’ve been running full speed all day.   

Stay healthy throughout the evening:

From what you eat- to what you do, there are lots of healthy choices that will make you feel better in the moment and in the long-run. Planning ahead for healthy choices is the best way to turn them into a reality. After all, how can you expect to cook a healthy meal if you don’t have any ingredients? Things like frozen veggies and fish are excellent options for busy people with unstable schedules. If you have these things in your freezer you can be sure they wont go bad before you can eat them, and they are easy to cook and serve. Keeping healthy snacks on-hand is an important step as well. Have a bowl of apples on your counter. When you’re on your way to the kitchen for a snack, reach for those first. If you’re having a quiet evening  catching up on your favorite shows or movies use that time to stay active as well. There are lots of little exercises you can do right on your couch! Grab two cans of soup and use them as little mini-weights for arm exercises. Set up a yoga mat a do stretches while you watch your shows. You can even use commercial breaks to prompt cardio like min-jumping jacks or jogging in place. 

When it’s time to sleep, sleep:

Don’t let nodding off to a movie be your cue to hit the hay. Set a sleep schedule and stick to it. Your body will thank you for the regularity and you’ll find falling asleep to be much easier. There are plenty of guides on the Internet that tell you the “best” way to fall asleep, but they all boil down to the same thing. Get a routine. Maybe you read a chapter of a book. Maybe you listen to soft music with the lights off. Whatever you do, do it consistently.  Avoid computer or phone screens right before bed, and don’t consume caffeinated products after 5 pm. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, don’t stress. Just repeat your routine and try again. You’ll wake up the next day refreshed and ready to take on the day! 

Incorporating these little changes into your lifestyle can make unwinding after work less of a struggle and more of a joy. If you have friends or family with similar work stresses consider working together to keep your distressing a priority. Stress related illnesses are very real, and the lasting impact of long-term stress can be detrimental to your body’s overall health. Unlike many other health problems though, you can control your stress- so don’t let your stress control you!