How to Detox After a Tough Week at Work

Self-care has become the go-to response when anyone mentions being tired, overwhelmed, over-stressed, or just burnt out from work.

“Well, do you self-care?”

The questions around what self-care you practice, when you practice and how often, tend to be worse than the stressors that require a work detox in the first place.

Self-care should not be another task on your insane-as-hell to-do list. It shouldn’t. Self-care should be a benny (read: benefit) for anyone – not something that comes with a side of judgment from others.

Soap box aside, we have a few ideas on how you can detox after a tough week at work. Whether you’re a small business owner, a solo-preneur, or a bad-ass running a Fortune 500 – you deserve some you time to get all those bad toxins out of your body.

Toxins? Yes, toxins.

Work, Stress, and Your Body

Stress causes a physical reaction in our bodies that can be hard as hell to put a stop to. We all respond to stress differently, but our bodies react pretty much the same way every time. Our bodies are hard-wired to react to stress to protect us from threats like predators and other aggressors. Today, those big bad wolves look more like passive aggressive emails, unpaid invoices, and mounting payroll.

When we get stressed, our body sets off a series of alarms (much like a domino effect) that eventually prompt your adrenal glands to release a surge of hormones – namely adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline increases your heart rate and elevates your blood pressure. Cortisol – dubbed the primary stress hormone – releases glucose (sugar) into the blood stream while curbing functions that would prove non-essential in a fight-or-flight situation. Namely, it puts a bumper on immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system, and any growth processes. Not to mention that it has a nice little chat with the brain regions that control mood, motivation, and fear.

So, when we have a high amount of cortisol in our systems – our bodies are not operating how they should be when we’re just sitting at our desks.

How to Detox & Get a Better Work Balance

An old adage in business is to “name it and claim it.” If there’s a problem, acknowledge it – and take responsibility for your part in it. In this case, we’re not talking about actual issues at work – but rather the way you respond to stressors.

“Alright, this client is stressing me out,” or “I’m really worried about money this quarter,” or “I have no clue where I can get more business.”

Stressors, we see you.

Once you can acknowledge what’s driving up your blood pressure and sending you to chow down on all the snacks in the pantry – you are in a better position to get your mind and body in the best place to address these issues.

Some problems are not as simple as “okay, I’ll carve one hour each day to follow-up with unanswered emails.”  That’s okay. Sometimes, the best way to address a problem is to detox in a way that works for you.

Self-care is Individualized

For business owners, self-care is not as it’s portrayed on the ‘gram. In fact, the very thought of carving time to do a damned yoga class at the gym is overwhelming. The reality is you already know what you need to recoup and regroup after a bad week. And it can be a whole range of things, or just one.

We polled a number of business owners – from small to large – and asked them what they do to detox after a tough week:

• “I make a cup of chamomile tea at the end of each day. It’s become ritual now where just the act gets me into a more relaxed state. My shoulders lower when I sip it before I go to bed.”
• “I hate exercise classes, and I will never meditate – it’s not for me. Instead, I go for runs about three times a week. I zone out and sometimes I get to take out my frustration on the pavement. It also gives me quiet time to think and find ways to resolve whatever is bothering me.”
• “I nap. It may sound like avoidance, and it may be, but a quick nap on a bad day – it just feels like I get a restart to the day in the middle of it.”
• “I treat myself to a small reward and acknowledge the wins of the week. As kids, we’re always told “hey, you did it!” for small feats and as adults we never celebrate those wins, only focus on the losses. I try and flip the script.”
• “I go for a hike. I live near a number of trails and just being outside helps me disconnect from work and the screen and phone calls and emails. You get the picture.”
• “Crosswords. I don’t know why, they just do it for me.”

What works for you?