If you’re like most women, you get home from work, feel exhausted, and dread the long list of things you now need to get done at home. You desperately want to know the secret to having more energy after work.

The work day takes everything out of you and you’re stressed, irritable, and feel like snapping at everyone around you.  But then you feel guilty for feeling the way you do. You just wish you had more energy so you could get everything done.

• Related: Four Simple Steps to Feel Better (Blog post)

First of all I want you to know that you’re amazing.  Juggling a career and family is not always easy.  But, I have no doubt that you’re doing a much better job than you’re giving yourself credit for.  So take a moment to celebrate who you are and give yourself some credit for the work you put into your career and the work and love you put into raising your family.

Pin this for later:

10 Things You Can Do to Destress and Increase Your Energy After Work

I’ve created a simple list of 10 things you can do to create a buffer between work and home.  Doing this will help you transition more easily from work to home life and enjoy both of them more.

1. Create your own 20 minute plan to help you transition from work to home life.  This could include doing anything you like such as stretching, meditating, reading, journaling, or listening to music or a podcast.
2. Take a 10 – 20 minute power nap.
3. Take an intentional tech break.  Put all devices away and let your brain rest.
4. Work out.  You can head directly to the gym after work, work out as soon as you get home, or schedule a work out class for that time slot right after work.
5. Schedule in 20 minutes to immerse yourself in a hobby that you love.
6. Get outside.  You can go for a walk, run, or hike or just be present outside without any technology or other distractions.
7. Call a friend or family member that you love talking to.
8. Schedule 20 minutes to play and snuggle with your kids or animals.
9. Put on your favorite music.  Turn the music up really loud and dance and sing. You’d be amazed at how much energy you’ll have after doing this.
10. Do something that makes you laugh.  Laughing releases stress hormones.

Now, you might be thinking that you have too many things to get done. 

You might be thinking that taking time to do these things would make you feel more stressed.  

But what if, instead of thinking of these as setbacks, you saw them as a way to boost your energy and mood? 

Boosting your energy and mood would help you get more done and feel better while doing everything too.

Pin this for later:

One Last Note!

Lead with self compassion. Give yourself permission to take just 10 – 30 minutes to transition from work to home and notice how you feel.  Creating this new habit of building in a buffer between work and home life could be the little shift that makes all the difference for you.