Top 10 'Work-to-Wind-Down' Wellness Routines to practice for beginners to create a mental commute at home - Goh Ling Yong
Remember the days of the evening commute? Whether you were on a packed train, stuck in traffic, or enjoying a quiet walk home, that journey served a crucial purpose. It was a buffer, a physical and mental transition that separated the demands of your job from the comfort of your personal life. It was the signal that the workday was well and truly over.
In today's world of remote and hybrid work, that built-in buffer has all but vanished. For many of us, the "office" is now the kitchen table, a corner of the bedroom, or a dedicated home study. The lack of physical separation makes it incredibly easy for the lines to blur, for work to bleed into evenings, and for our brains to stay "on" long after we've closed the last spreadsheet. This constant low-level stress can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a feeling that we never truly switch off.
This is where the concept of a 'mental commute' comes in. It's about consciously creating a routine—a 'work-to-wind-down' ritual—that replicates the psychological benefits of the old commute. It’s a deliberate sequence of actions that tells your brain, "Okay, work is done. It's time to transition into my personal time." By creating this boundary, you reclaim your evenings, reduce stress, and foster a healthier work-life balance. Ready to build your own? Here are ten simple yet powerful routines perfect for beginners.
1. The Digital and Physical 'Shutdown' Ritual
Think of this as the grand finale of your workday. It’s not about just closing your laptop; it’s about performing a series of small, deliberate actions that create a definitive end. This ritual is powerful because it uses physical cues to send a strong psychological signal to your brain that it's time to disengage from work-related thoughts and responsibilities.
The consistency of a shutdown ritual is what trains your brain. Over time, as you repeat these actions daily, your mind begins to associate them with the end of work. The process itself becomes a trigger for relaxation and mental release. It's the modern-day equivalent of hanging up your coat and taking off your work shoes when you get home. It’s a clear, non-negotiable boundary.
- Specific Tips:
- Log Out Completely: Don't just close the tabs. Actively log out of your email, Slack, Teams, and any other work-related software. This adds a small barrier to "just checking one more thing."
- Review and Plan: Spend the last five minutes of your day quickly reviewing what you accomplished and writing down your top three priorities for tomorrow. This "brain dump" prevents work thoughts from swirling in your head all evening.
- The Physical Close: Close your laptop. Don't just put it to sleep. If possible, put it away in a drawer or a bag. Out of sight, out of mind is a powerful mantra for work from home wellness.
- Tidy Your Space: Take two minutes to clear your desk. Put away papers, wipe down the surface, and arrange your pens. Returning to a clean space tomorrow morning is a gift to your future self.
2. Mindful Movement and Gentle Stretching
Sitting at a desk all day, we accumulate physical tension—in our necks, shoulders, hips, and back. This physical stress is often intertwined with mental stress. A short, mindful movement session is a fantastic way to release that stored tension and reconnect with your body after hours of cognitive work.
This isn't about a grueling workout. The goal is gentle, conscious movement. It’s about paying attention to how your body feels as you stretch and breathe. This practice draws your focus away from your racing mind and into the present moment, grounding you in your physical self. It’s an act of kindness to a body that has supported you through a demanding day.
- Specific Tips:
- Neck and Shoulder Release: Sit or stand tall. Gently drop your right ear toward your right shoulder, holding for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the left side. Then, slowly roll your shoulders up toward your ears and then back and down, five times.
- Cat-Cow Stretch: If you have space, get on your hands and knees. As you inhale, drop your belly and look up (Cow Pose). As you exhale, round your spine and tuck your chin to your chest (Cat Pose). Repeat 5-10 times to mobilize your spine.
- Standing Forward Fold: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Hinge at your hips and let your upper body hang heavy. Let your head and neck relax completely. You can gently sway from side to side.
3. The 'Sensory Shift' with Sound and Scent
Our environment has a profound impact on our mood and energy levels. During the workday, you might be surrounded by the sounds of notifications and the sterile air of your workspace. A "sensory shift" is about deliberately changing the auditory and olfactory landscape to signal a transition to relaxation.
Scent is one of our most powerful senses, directly linked to the memory and emotion centers in the brain. Introducing a calming scent can almost instantly change your mental state. Similarly, switching from silence or focus music to something completely different—like an upbeat playlist, a gentle podcast, or calming ambient sounds—changes the entire vibe of your space, helping you de-stress after work.
- Specific Tips:
- Aromatherapy: Light a favorite candle with a relaxing scent like lavender, sandalwood, or chamomile. Alternatively, use an essential oil diffuser. The ritual of lighting the candle or starting the diffuser can become a key part of your end-of-workday routine.
- Curate a 'Wind-Down' Playlist: Create a specific playlist on Spotify or Apple Music filled with songs that make you feel relaxed, happy, or nostalgic. Pressing "play" on this list becomes your cue to sign off.
- Switch to a Podcast or Audiobook: If music isn't your thing, switch to a non-work-related podcast (comedy, storytelling, interviews) or an audiobook. It gives your brain something new and engaging to focus on.
4. A 'Brain Dump' Journaling Practice
Even after you've shut your laptop, your brain can still be buzzing with leftover to-do lists, worries about a project, or a replayed conversation. A "brain dump" is a simple, highly effective technique to get all of these thoughts out of your head and onto paper, preventing them from hijacking your evening.
The act of writing things down externalizes them. It gives you a sense of control and closure, assuring your brain that these thoughts are captured and won't be forgotten. You can address them tomorrow. This isn't about elegant prose; it's about a raw, unfiltered transfer of mental clutter onto a page, creating precious mental space for rest and relaxation. As we often discuss here on the Goh Ling Yong blog, mental clarity is a cornerstone of overall well-being.
- Specific Tips:
- Use a Dedicated Notebook: Have a specific "end-of-day" notebook. This reinforces the ritual.
- Set a Timer: Give yourself just 5-10 minutes. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive diary entry.
- Use Prompts (if needed):
- "What's still on my mind from work today?"
- "What am I worried about for tomorrow?"
- "What tasks are unfinished?"
- Close the Book: Once the timer goes off, literally close the book. This is a symbolic act of closing the door on those work thoughts for the night.
5. The 'Change of Scenery' Walk
One of the biggest things missing from a remote work life is the simple act of leaving the building. A short, 15-20 minute walk is the perfect way to mimic this. It physically removes you from your workspace, gets your blood flowing, and exposes you to fresh air and natural light.
This walk serves as a powerful reset button. It allows you to shift your perspective—literally. You can pay attention to the world around you instead of the screen in front of you. Notice the trees, the sounds of your neighborhood, the feeling of the air on your skin. This mindful awareness helps to break the cycle of work-related rumination and ease you into a more relaxed state.
- Specific Tips:
- Leave Your Phone Behind: If possible, go tech-free. Or, at the very least, put your phone on airplane mode. The goal is to disconnect, not just change locations.
- Have a Set Route: Having a familiar loop you walk each day can make the habit easier to stick to. You don't have to think about where you're going; you can just go.
- Focus on Your Senses: As you walk, consciously engage your senses. What are five things you can see? Four things you can feel? Three things you can hear? This is a simple mindfulness practice.
6. The Wardrobe Switch
This might sound overly simple, but its psychological impact is immense. The clothes we wear can act as a uniform, signaling to our brain what role we're supposed to be playing. Working all day in the same pajamas or loungewear you'll relax in later can confuse those signals.
By deliberately changing out of your "work clothes"—even if they are just a slightly different t-shirt and sweatpants—and into your "home clothes," you create a distinct moment of transition. It’s a physical act that symbolizes you are shedding the responsibilities of your professional self and stepping into your personal self. It’s a clear and powerful way to reinforce your mental commute.
- Specific Tips:
- Define Your Outfits: Have a clear idea of what constitutes "work" vs. "relaxing" clothes. Your work clothes should be comfortable but make you feel put-together and ready to be productive. Your home clothes should be all about pure comfort and ease.
- Make it a Full Ritual: Don't just change your shirt. Splash some water on your face, brush your hair, or do whatever makes you feel refreshed and "off the clock."
- Lay Out Your 'Home' Clothes: To make it even easier, have your comfy clothes laid out and ready to go at the end of the day. This removes any friction and makes the habit more likely to stick.
7. Hydration and a 'Third Space' Snack
Food and drink are deeply ritualistic. Just as a morning coffee signals the start of the day, a specific end-of-day drink or snack can signal its close. This isn't about mindless snacking in front of the TV, but about a conscious, mindful moment of refueling your body.
Preparing a specific drink, like a calming herbal tea or a refreshing glass of fruit-infused water, forces you to step away from your desk and engage in a different kind of task. It’s a small act of self-care that transitions you from a state of mental output to one of physical nourishment and restoration.
- Specific Tips:
- Designate a 'Wind-Down' Mug: Use a special mug that you only use for your post-work drink. This small detail enhances the ritual.
- Try Calming Teas: Chamomile, peppermint, ginger, or lavender teas are excellent choices for promoting relaxation.
- Healthy Snack Pairings: Pair your drink with a small, healthy snack like a handful of almonds, a piece of fruit, or some Greek yogurt. This helps stabilize blood sugar after a long day and prevents you from being "hangry" later.
8. A 20-Minute 'Hobby Hiatus'
The best way to stop thinking about work is to give your brain something else, something enjoyable, to focus on. A "hobby hiatus" is a scheduled 15-20 minute block of time dedicated to an activity you do purely for pleasure, with no goal of productivity.
This is what some sociologists call a "third space"—an activity that is neither work nor home duty. It's a restorative niche that allows your mind to wander, create, and play. Whether it's picking up a guitar, doodling in a sketchbook, or doing a crossword puzzle, this activity uses a different part of your brain and provides a welcome escape from analytical, problem-solving work mode. Goh Ling Yong often emphasizes the importance of creative outlets for managing stress, and this is a perfect way to integrate one into your day.
- Specific Tips:
- Make a List of Possibilities: Brainstorm a list of low-effort hobbies you enjoy: reading a chapter of a fiction book, knitting, watering your plants, playing a quick mobile game (that isn't stressful), listening to one side of a vinyl record.
- Set a Timer: Committing to just 20 minutes makes it feel manageable, even on busy days.
- Prepare Your Hobby Station: Have your book on the coffee table, your sketchbook and pencils out, or your yoga mat unrolled and ready. Reducing the "activation energy" makes you far more likely to do it.
9. A Mindful Tech Disconnect
Our work lives on our screens. To truly disconnect from work, we often need to disconnect from our devices, at least for a little while. This routine is about creating a deliberate, phone-free (or at least work-app-free) period to give your eyes and your mind a much-needed break.
Constant notifications and the temptation to "just check" emails keep our nervous systems in a state of high alert. By putting your work phone away and turning off notifications on your personal devices, you create a pocket of peace. This allows your brain to stop processing the constant stream of information and simply be.
- Specific Tips:
- Designate a 'Phone Home': Create a specific spot—a basket by the door, a charging station in the kitchen—where your phone "lives" during this disconnected time.
- Start Small: If a full hour without your phone sounds daunting, start with just 15-20 minutes. The same length as your walk or hobby hiatus.
- Use 'Do Not Disturb' Mode: Utilize your phone's features. Set up a "Wind Down" or "Do Not Disturb" schedule that automatically silences notifications after a certain hour.
- Inform Your Colleagues: Let your team know your work hours. For example, "I'm generally offline after 6 PM, but if it's an emergency, you can call me." This manages expectations and reduces your own guilt.
10. The 'Gratitude & High-Five' Moment
It's easy to end the workday focusing on what went wrong or what's left on the to-do list. This final routine is about intentionally shifting your focus to the positive. It’s a quick mental review to acknowledge your efforts and end the day on a note of accomplishment and gratitude.
This practice helps to counteract the brain's natural negativity bias (our tendency to focus more on negative experiences). By consciously looking for the good, you train your brain to recognize progress and feel a greater sense of satisfaction with your work. It's like giving your brain a high-five for a day of hard work, no matter how it went.
- Specific Tips:
- The Rule of Three: As you're performing your shutdown ritual, mentally list three things that went well today. They don't have to be monumental. Maybe you solved a tricky problem, had a nice chat with a colleague, or simply made it through a tough day.
- Acknowledge One Challenge: Briefly acknowledge one thing that was difficult. This isn't about dwelling, but about validating your effort. "That meeting was tough, but I handled it."
- Express Gratitude: Think of one thing you're grateful for related to your work. It could be a supportive team, the flexibility of working from home, or the opportunity to learn something new.
Create the Boundary You Deserve
Creating a mental commute isn't about adding more tasks to your already busy day. It's about investing a small amount of time to reclaim a large amount of your personal life. The goal isn't to be perfect or to implement all ten of these routines at once. The goal is to be intentional.
Start by picking one or two routines that resonate most with you. Perhaps it's the 'Change of Scenery' Walk or the 'Wardrobe Switch.' Practice it consistently for a week and notice how you feel. You might be surprised by how a simple, 15-minute ritual can transform your evenings from a stressful extension of the workday into a truly restorative and joyful part of your life. You've earned that peace.
What's your favorite way to wind down after work? Do you have a ritual that helps you switch off? Share your best tips in the comments below—we'd love to learn from our community!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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