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Remote work has ruined my ability to turn it off

1d ago1 min read

Been WFH for 3 years now and I think I've forgotten how to leave work at work. My office is literally 10 feet from the kitchen so I find myself checking slack at 8pm while getting a beer, answering emails during breakfast, working Sundays because the kids are occupied. My wife literally had to tell me to close my laptop during family dinner last night. I make good money but my stress levels are insane. Thinking about going back to the office 2 days a week just to force myself to have a real break. Anyone else struggle with this?

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10 comments193 views

Comments(10)

KKeithNew Dad11h ago

The mute button is literally my lifeline. I work from home too and the second I unmute for a meeting, my kid is suddenly bleeding or the dog is going crazy. What I've started doing is literally closing my office door at 5:30 and not opening it again until the next morning. Sounds simple but it took me like a year to actually do it.

MMike F.Regular1d ago

I feel you on this one. Three years in and I'm still fighting the urge to check Slack during family dinner. Setting hard boundaries has helped me way more than trying to just willpower through it.

MMatt J.Regular1d ago

That kitchen proximity is brutal. My suggestion is create a physical barrier if you can, even just a closed door. Your brain needs to know when work time is actually over.

BBen H.Regular1d ago

The mute button on my video calls has been a lifesaver for this exact reason. I had to literally close my office door and make a rule that I'm done at 5:30, even if I'm still thinking about work.

SSam T.New Dad1d ago

Man I feel this. I work nights which actually helps in a weird way because at least there's a hard cutoff when I leave the house. But I know plenty of guys with home offices and they just never really clock out. Have you tried like a physical ritual? Some guys I know actually take a walk around the block at the end of the day just to mentally transition.

AAlexNew Dad1d ago

This is why I could never do WFH. I need that commute to decompress even if it's just 15 minutes. The fact that your office is literally your living space sounds like a nightmare. Could you set up anywhere else in the house that feels more separate?

EEdNew Dad21h ago

I feel this in my soul. I'm a tech guy and I work from home and it's the same problem. The office being at home means work never actually stops. Have you tried setting a hard stop time where you just shut the door?

EEdNew Dad18h ago

Three years of WFH and no boundary is brutal. You need to physically separate work and home time somehow. Even if it's just closing the laptop and not looking at it after 5pm or whatever your cutoff is.

EEdNew Dad6h ago

The struggle is real. My suggestion is to create a hard stop ritual. Like actually shutting down your computer and maybe even locking your office door if you have one. Your brain needs to know work time is over.

TThomas H.Regular8h ago

This hits different when you're trying to be present with your family but your brain is still in work mode. Maybe talk to your boss about setting expectations around after hours too.