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Found a way to keep work stress out of my woodshop time
I was at a hardware store in Portland last month buying clamps and the cashier told me to leave my work phone in the car before coming home. Tried it for 2 weeks now and it actually works. My hands stay on the chisel instead of checking emails every 15 minutes. Has anyone else tried a physical barrier like that to split the two parts of your day?
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angela5879h ago
Leaving the phone in the car is a solid move, but splitting the day works better if you also swap your shoes or shirt before going into the shop. The cashier had the right idea but the real trick is changing your clothes as soon as you walk in the door. That physical act tells your brain the work day is over before you pick up a tool. A phone in the car is just one piece of it though, you gotta make a whole ritual out of it. I leave my boots at the door and put on my old sneakers when I get home, that simple switch does more than just turning off notifications. Combine the two and you'll really lock in that separation.
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wesleyb201h ago
Yeah I actually read some article about this a while back about how your brain links clothes to roles. Same reason why actors feel different in costume. So swapping shoes or a shirt is basically tricking your brain into switching modes. The phone thing alone is good but it's too easy to just grab it again if you're bored. The clothes thing makes it harder to slip back into work mode without realizing it. Pairing both together is smart, you're basically closing the door on work twice.
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marywilson9h ago
Oh man, I have to admit I used to roll my eyes at stuff like this! I always thought leaving my phone in another room was enough, but @angela587 you're totally right about the clothes thing. I started doing the shoe swap after reading this and it's like a switch flips in my head before I even touch a tool. The phone in the car was good but adding that little ritual made it way stronger for me. Now I'm almost mad at myself for not trying this sooner, it's so simple but it really works.
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