Work stress is messing with my head more than I expected. I used to clock out and mostly leave things at work, but lately I keep replaying conversations and worrying about mistakes while I’m trying to relax. Last week I woke up at 3 a.m. thinking about an email I sent, then felt foggy and irritable the whole next day. I even snapped at someone over something small, which isn’t like me.
Has anyone found a way to stop work thoughts from taking over the evening?
@Ronald_Garcia, the 3 a.m. email replay sounds especially rough. I’ve had better luck writing down the worry and one action for the next workday, even if the action is just “check the email at 9.” It gives my brain somewhere to put it instead of trying to solve it in bed.
I’ve also started doing a short shutdown routine before leaving, like listing what’s unfinished and choosing the first task for tomorrow. Then I change clothes and take a walk before settling in. It doesn’t stop every thought, but it creates a clearer boundary.
Have you noticed whether the worrying is mostly about actual mistakes, or more about how people might have interpreted what you said?
The part about writing down one action for the next day has helped me too. I used to keep turning the same problem over in my head, but putting “send the follow-up at 9” on paper makes it feel contained.
For the people-interpretation worry, mine is usually worse than the actual mistake. I’ve started adding one line to my note: “What evidence do I have that this was a problem?” Most of the time, I don’t have much beyond a tired guess.