Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#111

Post by deeblering4 » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:48 PM UTC

Having a dedicated room for the home office helps a lot, but is not always possible.

I’ve found that using multiple user profiles on my computer helps. During work I log in as my work user, and when work is over I close everything and log out, switching to my personal user. JFTR I work somewhere with a BYOM policy. You could do similar with a kvm or multiple laptops, etc.

Also, I configure but disable work email on my phone. That way I’m not checking mail 24x7, but if I get an urgent call I can quickly enable it.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#112

Post by JoeAltmaier » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:49 PM UTC

Work a couple of hours, take a long bike ride with a destination (usually a lunch spot), return, shower, work a couple of hours, close my desktop and make dinner.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#113

Post by brightball » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:51 PM UTC

I have a dedicated space for work. When I’m not in it, I’m not at work.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#114

Post by icedchai » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:52 PM UTC

I've found switching on is more difficult than switching off these days.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#115

Post by thelastinuit » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:52 PM UTC

1. a place or space for work only. 2. turn off every equipment related to work, 3. get away from the place or space to work. 4. enjoy life.

It works for me.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#116

Post by wernercd » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:53 PM UTC

Simple... I stop working after 6.

There are some exceptions (late night releases - but those are planned).

Otherwise, it's simple work is 9-5 and 6 is a hard cut-off.

Games, outside yard work, podcasts, etc. at 6 - if not earlier - a hard switch occurs.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#117

Post by silicon2401 » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:53 PM UTC

5pm latest -> work laptop closed and put away. easy as that.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#118

Post by RSHEPP » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:54 PM UTC

kissgyorgy wrote: post #94

This trick might sound strange, but it worked well for me: Just dress the same in the morning as you would if you would go into the office, and at the end of the day, take off the work clothes and dress as you would normally at home. Some makes this even further and go out for a walk around the block so they "arrive at the office" and walk again at the end of the day to "walk home". Really sounds strange and funny, b…

Plus dressing well for work gives a sense of confidence, even when you are not around other people. I wear nice shoes at my home desk even though I never walk outside.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#119

Post by t0mislav » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:56 PM UTC

I put company laptop back to backpack, then hide backpack to it's place under desk.

Also, emails on my phone is big no after working hours.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#120

Post by sjm » Tue, Aug 18, 2020, 1:58 PM UTC

igetspam wrote: post #76

Dedicate a work space and stay far away from it, when you're not working. Maybe get a large whiteboard to hide it from your field of vision when not working (bonus: whiteboard!). Separating work from personal is the most critical part of being able to work from home without always being "at work." I'm lucky enough to have been remote for years, so COVID hasn't changed my pattern but I know the pattern can be hard. Al…

The first part is great advice but unfortunately not always easy for those in small apartments where that space is precious. One thing that has worked for me is to instead try to detach my work space from being purely work, and give myself time in that space to do "me" things, whether it's reading, video games, creative endeavors...

Also giving myself a specific window of "work time", with an alarm set to tell me its time to stop and switch off. This has helped more than anything else.