Tried closing my laptop at 5pm sharp for two weeks straight

Work from home was blurring into everything. I'd be checking emails at 9pm, answering Slack on weekends. So I set a hard rule - shut the laptop at 5pm, don't touch it again until 8am next day. First week was rough, I kept feeling like I was forgetting something. Second week I started reading a book again for the first time in months. But here's the weird part - my actual work quality went up. Less burnout means I focus better in those 8 hours. Has anyone else found the boundary helps your actual job performance?

3 comments

3 Comments

rose_reed3d agoTop Commenter

Wait, only TWO WEEKS and you already saw your work quality go UP? That's insane. Most people talk about needing a month or more to even start feeling the benefits of something like that. I honestly can't believe you stuck with it through the first week because that part sounds brutal. That constant feeling of forgetting something is exactly why I've never managed to try this. Maybe I'm just weak but that alone would drive me crazy. You've actually inspired me to maybe try it for just one day this weekend to see if I can handle it.

taylorshah3d ago

Oh yeah, that forgetting thing is real. I had a buddy who tried something similar last year and he told me he spent the first three days basically panicking that he'd left his phone at home when he actually had it in his pocket the whole time. He said he kept reaching for it to check the time or look something up and then just stood there feeling lost for a second. It was so bad he almost quit on day four because he forgot to buy milk and had to go back to the store twice. But he stuck it out and by day ten he said he was actually getting more done at work because he wasn't constantly getting distracted by notifications.

lilyp371d ago

Right? That "feeling of forgetting something" you mentioned is no joke. It really does drive you crazy at first, like your brain is literally screaming at you that you're missing something important. I tried it once for a weekend last year and by Saturday afternoon I was convinced I'd lost my phone somewhere even though it was in my nightstand drawer. The panic is real but its also kind of silly when you stop and think about it later. One day is a perfect way to dip your toes in because you can always bail by dinner if its too much. Seriously just do it, the worst that happens is you feel a little weird for a few hours.