4 Steps to Shut Down Your Workday Effectively
Find yourself feeling stressed and overwhelmed at the end of each workday? Follow these four simple steps and you’ll be on your way to a more enjoyable evening.
I often find that the last hour of my day sets the tone for the rest of my night.
If I’m stressed out and feeling overwhelmed, it can be tough to transition into a relaxing evening.
On the other hand, when I end my workday on a high note, I'm more likely to feel motivated and ready to enjoy my evening.
For me, the final hour of the workday is all about tying up loose ends and preparing for the next day.
I like to review my to-do list, make sure all my projects are on track, and clear out my inbox so I can start the next day with a clean slate.
But too often, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the day and forget to take care of ourselves. We’re so focused on getting everything done that we don’t give ourselves time to relax and recharge.
This is a one-way ticket to burnout city.
4 Steps To End Your Workday In A Productive And Stress-Free Manner
If you’re ready to make a change and end your workday in a more productive and stress-free manner, here are four simple steps to help you out:
- Audit Your Day
- Set Tomorrow’s Priorities Today
- Clean Up Your Workspace
- Get to Inbox Zero
Let’s break down each of these steps so you can start putting them into action now — and start enjoying your evenings again!
1. Audit Your Day
Before you can effectively end your workday, you need to take a step back and evaluate how it went. Were you productive? Did you accomplish everything you set out to do? Or did you find yourself getting sidetracked and wasting time?
By taking a few minutes to audit your day, you can get a better sense of where you need to improve and what you can do differently tomorrow.
Here are a few questions I ask myself to see if I had a productive day:
- What did I accomplish today that I set out to complete?
- What could I have done better in my daily tasks, routine, etc.?
- What took items or tasks longer than they should have?
- What interrupted my flow?
Write these answers down — either in a physical notebook or in a notes app on your phone — so you can refer back to them tomorrow.
Here’s the trick: over time, you’ll start to notice patterns in your behavior and can make adjustments to improve your productivity.
2. Set Tomorrow’s Priorities
One of the best ways to end your workday on a positive note is to set yourself up for success tomorrow.
After auditing my day, I often have an item or two (or a ton) that I didn’t quite get to. Those items go from today’s list to tomorrow’s, and I make a note of when I plan to work on them.
This way, I can hit the ground running tomorrow without wasting time figuring out what needs to be done.
Maybe it’s psychological, but the act of moving these from today’s “didn’t get done” list to tomorrow’s “will get done” list always makes me feel better.
It’s a tangible way to see that I’m making progress and that I will eventually get to everything on my list — even if it takes a few days (or weeks).
3. Clean Up Your Workspace
As I write this, my desk has a coffee mug, a water glass, several notebooks, and a few random pens strewn about. It’s not the most glamorous sight, but it works for me.
A clean workspace can do wonders for your state of mind. When your desk is cluttered, it can be tough to focus on your work and be productive. But when it’s clean and organized, you’ll feel calmer and more in control.
Take a few minutes to tidy up your desk at the end of your workday. Throw away any trash, put away any loose papers, and wipe down your surfaces.
If you have time, you can go one step further and organize your drawers or file any loose documents away.
Cleanliness is next to godliness — or at least it is when it comes to your desk.
4. Get to “Inbox Zero”
A trendy term in the productivity world, “inbox zero” refers to the act of clearing out your inbox, so you start the next day with a clean slate.
I’m not going to lie — this is one of my favorite things to do at the end of the day. There’s something satisfying about knowing that all my emails have been dealt with and I don’t have to worry about them tomorrow.
If your inbox is overflowing, start by sorting your emails into three categories:
- Action items: These are emails that require a response or some sort of follow-up.
- Information only: These are emails that you need to read or reference but don’t need to take any action on.
- Archive: These are emails that serve no purpose and can be archived without consequence.
Once you’ve sorted your emails, deal with the action items first. Respond to any necessary emails, and make a note of anything you need to follow up on tomorrow.
Then, file away the information emails into a separate folder for safekeeping. Finally, hit that archive button on all the remaining emails and breathe a sigh of relief.
“But what if I needed that email tomorrow?”
If you’re really worried about it, you can always search your archive for specific keywords.
But chances are, if it’s not important enough to keep in your inbox, it’s not important enough to remember tomorrow.
Start Your Evening By Ending Your Day Right
Ending your workday in a productive and stress-free manner is crucial to setting yourself up for rest tonight — and success tomorrow.
By taking the time to audit your day, set tomorrow’s priorities, clean up your workspace, and get to inbox zero, you’ll be well on your way to a more prosperous tomorrow. So what are you waiting for? Get to it!
What would you add to this list? How do you end your workday? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments below!
