Journal · Well-being · 4 min read
How to leave work at work when the day is over
You are home, but your mind is still in the meeting. A short routine at the end of the working day helps your body tell work from rest.
It is 9pm, you are home, and one notification is enough to pull your attention back to work. Many employees describe being at home in body but still at the office in their heads.
A survey released by AXA Hong Kong in May 2025 found that about 60% of employees said they were affected by work stress, and almost a quarter had taken sick leave because of their mental health. World Mental Health Day falls on 10 October, when many employers review how their staff are coping. For individuals, the easiest place to start is often the first 15 minutes after work.
Your body needs a signal that work has ended
At work the body stays ready to respond: shoulders slightly tense, breathing a little shallow. If nothing marks the end of the day, that state carries on into the evening and rest becomes harder. A short routine, done the same way every day, can act as the signal. After two or three weeks of repetition, the body often starts to relax before the routine is finished.
A three-step routine
- Write down tomorrow's first task. Once it is on paper or in a note on your phone, your mind no longer has to hold it.
- Close one thing. Shut the laptop, turn off work notifications or put the work phone in a drawer.
- Take a one-minute pause. Stand up, stop, notice how your body feels, breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth a few times, then leave your desk.
Use the journey home
On the MTR or the bus, notice your feet on the floor, or count 10 out-breaths. With repetition, the body starts to link the journey with the end of work. One small act, done daily, helps keep work and home apart.
What employers can do
Employers can set hours after which staff need not reply to messages, or open meetings with a one-minute pause. ZJ runs mindfulness and breathing workshops for employers and organisations in Hong Kong; ask on WhatsApp for details.