Want to go home feeling more relaxed after work?
One of the largest struggles I have as a business owner is not being able to stop thinking about work. Even when I am away from my desk, with other people, engaged in a different activity, I often still find my self thinking about my business.
One of the ways I have been able to help with this and allow myself to be more focused on the present is by planning tomorrow’s day BEFORE I leave work today. Before I get up from my desk to “call it a day” I review my day, and then list out all that I will accomplish tomorrow. I even make a bullet plan of the coming day showing the order in which I will complete each activity.
Here are 5 benefits of planning tomorrow’s day BEFORE leaving work today:
1. Can focus more on the present
Most importantly, it helps me focus on the present. When I leave work I can direct my attention to my family, friends, or whatever it is I am doing. Since I already have a written plan of everything I need to do, and will do tomorrow, my mind can relax. I no longer have to worry or stress about what I need to be accomplishing because I already have a plan to make it all happen.
2. Creates a physical barrier from work and home
Before I started this habit, I would still plan tomorrow out the night before, however, I would do it right before I went to bed. This would cause me to continue to think about work until the very end of the night! By planning the next day while I am still at the office, I create a physical separation of work and home. Instead of planning out my work related activities at home, I now am able to focus solely on home related activities while at home and work related activities at work.
3. Forms an “end of work” routine
By planning your day BEFORE you leave the office, you can form a “end of work” routine that helps you conclude your work day. Just like the “end of day routine” that is so extremely helpful, having this routine can create a bookend that will end your work day in the same way everyday. Your mind can feel more relaxed not thinking about work because your work day came to a conclusion.
4. Allows you to mentally rehearse tomorrow
Like I mentioned above, when planning out tomorrow, I not only list out all the activities and tasks I need to do, but, I also create a plan to do them all. I like to use bullet points rather than a conventional schedule with the hours of the day written, but both would work! By doing this, it allows my to mentally rehurse the coming day and visualize how I will accomplish all I need to. This helps me feel more prepared and confident about the coming day because I have already played out in my head.
5. Reduces stress
One of the largest reason’s I found that I was constantly thinking about work even after I left work, was because I was stressed about all I needed to do. I had a lot of tasks I needed to accomplish and was trying to remember them all in my head until later that evening when I would create my plan for the next day. However, I can eliminate all this if I plan my day before I leave work! I can create my plan for the coming next day, and I no longer need to stress about remembering all I need to do because I know I have a written plan to make it happen. The only thing I need to do now is follow my plan, rather than trying to keep all my tasks organized in my head.
Now try it out!
Before you leave work today, plan out tomorrow! Don’t go home still thinking about work, but rather, conclude your work day so you can go home and enjoy time with friends, family, or whatever you enjoy doing after work.
If you need help prioritizing all your tasks and creating your daily plans, checkout the GoalCrazy 90 day planner. It’s daily pages give you a guide to organize and prioritize your days, weeks and months! Check it out below!