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How to End a Remote Workday – the Markens Way!

Apr 16, 2020

Associations and businesses fortunate enough to be working from home are facing new challenges: finding ways to communicate virtually, keeping active in an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and getting their minds to stop focusing on work once the day is done.

This can be particularly tricky if your home office is steps away from your living room…or if your living room is your home office!

So, we asked our amazing TMG team: what do you do to disconnect after a day of remote work?

A Brand New “Commute”

Even though the daily commute can be a hassle, working from home has illuminated an important benefit of commuting for many of us at TMG: the commute is a time that allows us to transition from work life to home life. Thus, some of us are finding new ways to commute.

Every day when she’s ready to sign off, Janice hops in her car for a 30 to 40-minute drive around her neighborhood. This gives her an opportunity to take her mind off of the day’s stressors and clearly mark the end of the day. As a bonus, she gets to visit parts of her hometown that she’s never seen before!

Tessa avoids the car, but still finds peace in her own end-of-day travels. Just like at the office, she packs up her computer at the end of the day, and then leaves the building. Walking the dog used to be part of her morning routine, but now it’s the first thing she does after work. A quick walk with her pup, Truman, shakes off the day, and once she’s back home, she’s home. We love this idea because commuting with a buddy is better for the environment and even more fun.

Moving the Body, Indoors and Out

Classic Exercise

The great debate for many 9-to-5 workers is whether to exercise before or after work. At the Markens Group, we fall heavily on the post-work workout! Much of our team finds that getting their heartrates up is a great way to end the workday and reap some health benefits.

Brian finds his relief in good, old-fashioned exercise. A simple, 30-minute session on his exercise bike is just enough time to get the endorphins flowing and shake off the day. Kyra, on the other hand, has taken a bit of a modern approach to exercise classes. She follows along with video courses on YouTube (her current favorite being Ballet Beautiful).

Into the Great Outdoors

Lou takes his workout into nature, rain or shine, for a run, a bike ride, or a long walk – whatever gets his body active and gives his mind a release.

For Kate, it’s not just enough to get outside. Her day-to-day has her talking to clients and association members constantly. As a sign that the day’s truly over, she turns off her phone to unplug and unwind. Afterward, she takes her two dogs for an extended walk or, more accurately, they take her. Keeping up with her dogs is a workout in and of itself, but it keeps her from focusing on anything else.

Small Transformations, Huge Changes in Mind

Even small physical or psychological changes can successfully signal that it’s time to unwind and rest for the evening.

Beth likes a change of clothes and scenery to mark the official end of her workday. She swaps out her work clothes for something more comfortable and her environment for something a little more relaxing.

For Sandy, putting away her work mentally means putting away her work physically. She packs away her laptop, keyboard, paperwork, and any other signs of her “office.” Then she hops on her treadmill to feel as if she’s walking back to the parking garage on a normal workday.

In Evan’s experience, the end of the workday means getting to change what he’s working on. After taking off his tie, he picks up an instrument to start writing music, learning a new cover, or fitting in some much-needed practice. This lets him focus on something specific or completely zone out, depending on his needs for the day.

Speaking of music, the first thing Emily does after work is to turn on her “house” music and prepares dinner. Then, she gets to spend her time with her daughter. Getting the opportunity to share in new experiences with her is the best send-off to a day Emily could ask for.

How Do You End a Remote Workday?

We hope our team has offered you some new ways to disconnect after a busy day. If you have a different approach, we’d like to try it, too! Feel free to reach out and let us know how you call it quits when 5:00 p.m. rolls around.

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