For executives and professionals, striking a balance between work and personal life is a persistent challenge. The constant pressure to stay connected and productive often leads to burnout.
Deactivating from work requires intentional practices that help you reset and fully embrace your personal life. Simple, consistent habits like visualisation, tapping (EFT and TFT), meditation, and mantras can help you shift gears, reset your energy, and be present in your personal life. These techniques have been proven effective in reducing stress and enhancing well-being. Here’s how to incorporate them into your routine.

1. Visualise Your Deactivation: Mark the End of the Workday
One of the most effective ways to deactivate from work is by establishing a clear, physical signal that the day has ended. This could be as simple as shutting down your computer, closing your office door, or changing your clothes. Visualisation plays a powerful role here—imagine yourself leaving your work behind as you perform these actions.
This transition should become a habitual routine, much like brushing your teeth before bed. According to Charles Duhigg in "The Power of Habit", habits are formed through clear cues and repetitive actions. By consistently marking the end of your workday with a visualised action, your brain will naturally begin to associate these cues with relaxation, helping you detach from work without overthinking it.
2. Relax Your Mind: Use Audio books, Podcasts, or Reading
Another way to unwind is through passive leisure activities, such as listening to audio books, podcasts, or reading. These activities engage your mind in a relaxing way, providing a mental reset without requiring heavy cognitive effort.
Research published in "The Journal of Applied Psychology" found that passive activities like listening to music or reading help with psychological recovery from work-related stress. Choose a book or podcast that draws your attention away from work, allowing your mind to enter a state of relaxation naturally.
3. Activate Calm with Meditation, Breathing, and Tapping (EFT/TFT)
Meditation and breathing exercises have long been proven to reduce stress and promote mental clarity. Adding Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) or Thought Field Therapy (TFT) tapping into your routine takes this further by helping to release pent-up emotional tension. TFT was pioneered by Dr Roger Callahan, a psychologist who developed the technique in the late 1970s, based on tapping specific meridian points to relieve psychological distress.
Studies in "The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease" have shown that EFT tapping can significantly reduce cortisol, a stress hormone. TFT, developed by Callahan, focuses on tapping precise acupressure points to target specific negative emotions. By incorporating either EFT or TFT into your daily wind-down routine, you can rapidly deactivate lingering work stress.
Here’s a simple tapping routine:
- Identify the stressor: Focus on a specific work-related worry.
- Tap on acupressure points: Tap on areas such as the side of your hand, under your eye, and on your collarbone while concentrating on your feelings.
-Affirm and release: Repeat phrases like “Even though I feel stressed about work, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
This practice, combined with deep breathing, is a powerful way to shift your emotional state quickly, allowing you to enter a relaxed, present mindset.
4. Anchor Yourself with a Personal Motto or Mantra
A personal motto or mantra can be an effective tool to centre your thoughts and reset your mindset after a long day. A simple phrase like “I am present and at peace” or “I release today’s challenges” can help you mentally detach from work.
Research in The Journal of Positive Psychology supports the use of positive affirmations, showing that they help reduce stress and improve emotional regulation. Repeating your mantra daily creates a mental cue for relaxation and can become a grounding habit, helping you avoid overthinking as you transition into personal time.
5. Reset Your Personal Energy: Be Fully Present
Being present in your personal life requires intentionally shifting your focus to the current moment. Whether it's spending time with family, exercising, or engaging in a hobby, these activities allow you to reset your energy and immerse yourself in the here and now.
Studies from The Journal of Occupational Health Psychology indicate that individuals who engage in mindful, present-focused activities experience higher levels of life satisfaction and lower stress levels. By grounding yourself in the present moment, you can leave work behind and fully embrace your personal life, creating a fulfilling balance.
Incorporating EFT/TFT Tapping into Your Routine
If you find it challenging to switch off from work, incorporating EFT or TFT tapping can be a quick and effective way to release stress. Roger Callahan's TFT is particularly powerful for targeting specific emotional issues through meridian tapping.
Use it as part of your daily transition:
- Focus on the emotion: Identify the stress you’re carrying from work.
- Tap specific points: Gently tap on areas like the eyebrow, side of the eye, or under the arm.
- Acknowledge and release: Use a statement like “Even though I’m worried about tomorrow’s tasks, I choose to relax now.”
Tapping helps create a clear break between your workday and personal life, making it easier to shift into relaxation mode. At MTR Performance coaching "our approach integrates these methods and techniques as effective tools to help with client relaxation and focus" www.mtrocaching.com.
The Power of Habit: Focus on what you want to achieve
The key to deactivating from work successfully is to build consistent habits that don’t require overthinking. By developing a routine—whether it’s visualisation, tapping, or using a personal mantra—you train your brain to switch off automatically. Habits reduce the mental energy required to make decisions, making it easier to transition into personal life without dwelling on work concerns.
Conclusion: Deactivate, Tap, and Build the Habit
For executives and professionals, learning to deactivate from work is crucial to achieving a healthy work-life balance. By incorporating simple habits like visualisation, relaxation through audio books, meditation, EFT or TFT tapping, and a personal mantra, you can smoothly transition from work to personal life. These habits allow you to recharge, remain present, and find contentment in both worlds.
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Author: Mark Tanchoco Reid, Founder of MTR Performance Coaching
References:
Callahan, R. (2001). Tapping the Healer Within: Using Thought Field Therapy to Instantly Conquer Your Fears, Anxieties, and Emotional Distress. McGraw-Hill.
Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Random House.
Church, D., et al. (2012). Psychological symptom change in veterans after six sessions of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques): An observational study. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 809-813.
Cropley, M., & Millward, L. (2009). How do individuals 'switch-off' from work? The Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(1), 93-102.
Goyal, M., et al. (2014). Meditation Programmes for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Harvard Medical School.
Wendsche, J., & Lohmann-Haislah, A. (2017). The effect of rest breaks on well-being, performance, and accident risk: A meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(2), 262-276.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 56(3), 218-226. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(10), 809-813.
Cropley, M., & Millward, L. (2009). How do individuals 'switch-off' from work? The Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(1), 93-102.
Goyal, M., et al. (2014). Meditation Programmes for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Harvard Medical School.
Wendsche, J., & Lohmann-Haislah, A. (2017). The effect of rest breaks on well-being, performance, and accident risk: A meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(2), 262-276.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 56(3), 218-226.
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