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?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela5876h 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.

marywilson6h 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.