A work and stress prevention expert has taken to TikTok to share her unusual tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance, which includes changing clothes, having different drinks and using multiple scents.
Nina Nesdoly, 28 – who is currently studying a PhD in management at the University of Concordia, in Montreal – said that in order to detach from working life when they are at home employees need to use sensory cues.
This involves thinking about the types of drinks you are having, the lighting in your rooms and the outfits you wear when you are at work as opposed to at home.
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The aim is to ensure that you can differentiate between your tasks and surroundings at home and at work to create separation between the two.
She also places importance on psychological detachment – the ability to mentally disconnect from work and not think about job-related issues when you’re away from your job.
‘When you’re no longer thinking about or giving your mental energy to work, it’s incredibly important because your brain does not know the difference,’ Nina, who lives in Ottawa, Canada, explained.
‘So if you are sitting at your computer, and you are interviewing a guest or typing up a story, your brain is like, ‘great, got it, we’re at work’.
‘If you’re lying on your couch, thinking through that story over and over again, editing it in your head, your brain is like, ‘cool, we’re at work’.
‘So from your brain and your body’s perspective, you are still working, even if you are not physically at work or actively sitting at your desk.
‘If you’re giving your mental energy to work, then you are kind of working. You’re giving away your resources, but you should be protecting your time off work and using those resources for yourself.’
It is very common for people to struggle to detach from their work life and switch off, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic normalised working from home, blurring the boundaries between the office and our personal lives.
So if you are struggling to shut away from work at the end of the day, Nina suggests working with sensory cues.
‘Think about all of your senses – what you see, what you smell, what you taste, what you hear, what you feel,’ Nina said.
‘Look at what is in your work environment, and this includes working from home.
‘Is there a particular tea that you’re drinking? What lighting do you have at work? What clothes do you wear when you are working?’
Once you are aware of the makeup of your work environment and working day, Nina suggests switching it up when you aren’t at work.
‘So for example, you might want to, if you’re working from home, have a scent like a peppermint around which is very invigorating, very good for focus as a work scent,’ she adds.
‘Then when you’re transitioning off work, you’re going to light a more relaxing lavender chamomile type scent.’
Nina’s top tips for a healthy work-life balance:
- Removing certain apps when you finish work
- Different scents around your home
- Drinking different drinks when you’re relaxing to when you’re at work
- Changing your clothes
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