Support work-life balance with a daily shutdown ritual

Many of my colleagues tell me it’s not unusual for them to feel like they’re constantly “on call”, responding to emails at all hours and allowing work to seep into every corner of their lives. Unfortunately, the nature of academic work makes it easy to do this, even when there’s no pressure from anyone else. But just because you can work any time, anywhere, doesn’t mean you should.

Something that has helped me in this regard is Cal Newport’s idea of a shutdown ritual: a series of small steps that you can do in 5 minutes at the end of each day, accompanied by a phrase you say when you complete the ritual, and an agreement with yourself that the ritual marks the end of the working day.

Practical daily shutdown routines

Here are some practical suggestions you can try for your own daily ‘shutdown ritual’:

1. Tidy your workspace: Clear your desk of papers and materials; organise any physical documents or books; clean up any coffee mugs or water bottles.
2. Update your to-do list: Review tasks completed today, write down your priorities for tomorrow, update any project timelines or deadlines.
3. Check and update your calendar: Review tomorrow’s schedule; make adjustments to upcoming appointments; block out time for important tasks or personal activities.
4. Close work-related applications: Shut down your email client; close work-related browser tabs; log out of any work-specific software or platforms.
5. Set communication boundaries: Enable auto-responders for email if necessary; adjust notification settings on devices; communicate your unavailability to colleagues if needed.
6. Engage in a transitional activity: Take a short walk around your home or outside; do a brief meditation or breathing exercise; change into more casual clothing.

You don’t need to do all of these steps every day, but picking a few and sticking to them can help create a clear boundary between work and personal time.

By maintaining a healthier balance between ‘work’ and ‘life’, you can enhance your overall well-being, career longevity, and ultimately contribute more meaningfully to your discipline and the academic community as a whole.