A week ago my front door broke and it was the best thing ever! It reminded me of an important lesson that had slipped through the cracks of the daily hustle of modern life – more about that in a second.
At my house we’ve got a big, heavy, half glass/half wood front door. It opens into a public space. As people fly through the door, it typically closes slowly with a subtle hiss. Not anymore. It slams. Hard. The entire house shakes. While we were waiting for it to get fixed, something changed in my routine.
I started holding onto the doorknob and closing the door slowly, deliberately. Something mundane, yet magical happened and suddenly this public space I usually zip through became less of a blur and more a part of my home. In other words, it became a transition point.
The Problem: We often don’t transition effectively from our workspace to home, stepping out of work mode and into spouse, parent, or partner mode. This partly has to do with not having a clear boundary between the two worlds, or a transition space.
A Solution:
1. Imagine your home’s front door as a checkpoint for your brain to take stock of where it is, a visual cue that triggers a transition mindset
2. The mindset is one you’ll set for yourself right now: “When I walk through the door, I’m going to pause, look at the door, and remind myself I’m transitioning from work to home.”
3. The next time you come home from work, stop at the door for a second. Take a deep breath and remember the new mindset you’ve set for yourself. Then open the door and walk in.
That small change, done consistently for 2-3 weeks will condition your mind to more easily shift from work to home. You’ll give yourself a chance to slow down and refocus.
And if you just can’t stop thinking about work or want to be more emotionally available for your family after a long day on the job, let’s set up a consultation and take tangible steps to leave work at work. Email greg@insightnewton.com or call 617-942-1281.
