If you’re on a quest to be more productive, you might assume that you need to use every minute in the day to, well, accomplish something.
But pushing yourself to work harder and faster doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be more efficient. In fact, if you never give your brain time to rest and recuperate, your attention, creativity and problem-solving skills will suffer.
So, what’s the best way to boost productivity? According to the three experts we spoke to, it’s using your down time to recharge and refuel. As Sophie Mort, a clinical psychologist at Headspace, told HuffPost, “once we are feeling rested and fulfilled outside of work, we become more productive and present when we return.”
What you do after work can have a profound effect on how alert and focused you feel the next day. With that, here are five things you absolutely want to avoid doing after work if you’re looking to up your productivity:
Doing Even More Work
Heather Lamb, a workplace well-being expert and author of ”How Not to Be a People Pleaser: Five Action Steps to Using Your Voice Without Regret,” said the last thing she wants to do after a busy day at work is … more work. Research shows that many people feel pressure to work around the clock, and those who keep chipping away at projects after-hours are more likely to experience burnout and lower job satisfaction.
The takeaway: It’s crucial to give your brain some time off. “If we power through after work and keep working, our brains have no time to recover and reorganize,” said Billy Roberts, the founder at Focused Mind ADHD Counseling. This can ultimately make you feel less motivated, creative and focused, he adds.
Instead of working until bedtime, Lamb suggested occupying yourself with low-stress activities, such as going on a walk or reading a book. “This helps me clear my mind and relax so I can recharge and go back to work the next day with energy,” she said.
Staying On Top Of Your Work Notifications
Adding on to the above tip, you also want to avoid constantly refreshing your work notifications at night. Even if you’re not actually working, merely seeing email notifications from your teammates can keep your brain alert, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
“It keeps our brains in problem-solving mode and in an ‘always on’ mindset,” Mort said. Over time, this can deplete your productivity and energy levels, she explained, and, in some cases, lead to exhaustion and burnout.
The fix: When you leave the office, turn off your work notifications and let your brain disengage from your job. If you have a work phone or laptop, leave them in another room. “Taking these steps helps our minds to fully switch off from work, preventing us from burnout and preserving our energy, allowing us to be more energized and productive,” Mort said.
Not Having An Activity To Transition Out Of Work Mode
Although working from home has its benefits, the lines between work and personal time have become blurred for many people. In fact, research suggests that work and personal life have become so intertwined that it’s causing many people to lose focus and feel less motivated.
According to Mort, not having some sort of “transitional marker” that tells your brain you are finished with work for the day can keep your brain stuck in work mode after-hours.
She recommends doing an activity soon after you wrap up for the day that will signal you’re in personal time. This can be as simple as changing your clothes, washing your face with warm water or lighting a candle. Stick with it every day so your brain eventually equates the activity with the end of the workday.
Overloading Your Evening With Other Grueling Tasks
Instead of knocking out a ton of tasks after work ― like, say, all the laundry that’s been collecting in your hamper plus the grocery shopping you’ve been putting off ― try spreading your chores out across multiple days.
“Sometimes, when you let everything pile up at once, you get daunting piles of to-dos that end up demotivating us all day,” Roberts said. Knowing you have demanding personal chores ahead can weigh on you all day and zap your energy.
Roberts’ advice: Make sure your after-work to-do list feels manageable. If your tasks are unavoidable, try to bake in some down time or enjoyable, rewarding activities in between them. “We all can handle the drain of frustrating tasks when they are couched in more fulfilling activities.”
Deprioritizing Your Sleep Routine
If there’s one thing you take away from this article, let it be this: Getting a good night’s sleep is absolutely essential for your productivity, performance, memory, creativity and energy levels. When you disregard sleep hygiene, you can wind up fatigued and irritable the next day.
How exactly can you set yourself up for a successful snooze after you clock out? For starters, avoid drinking caffeinated beverages six to eight hours before bedtime. Try not to nap late in the day, and aim to go to bed at a reasonable time (it’s generally recommended to snooze at least seven hours each night, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Mort also recommended creating a wind-down routine you can look forward to at night. Listen to a guided meditation, read a book or practice some gentle stretching. The goal is to find a simple, relaxing activity that prepares your body for sleep so you can drift off and wake up feeling recharged and ready to roll.