Switching Off

There is a moment when the workday ends.

The laptop closes.
The meetings stop.
The out-of-office is on.
And yet, something doesn’t fully switch off.

Your mind continues.
More subtly, your body does too.

A slight alertness.
A readiness.
As if you are still preparing for what’s next.

Even in rest, something is still active.
You go for a walk.
You sit outside.
You spend time with others.

But part of you is still leaning forward. Still “on”.
A part of you is already planning tomorrow, replaying today.
Quietly scanning for what still needs to be done.

Over time, constant readiness slowly begins to feel like our natural state.
Not because it is needed, but because the system hasn’t learned how to calm down.

Switching off is not just mental. It’s physical.
It begins with noticing what you are still holding, and gently allowing it to soften, without forcing it.

The challenge is not only to stop working, but to stop being in work mode.

Rest is not simply the absence of work. It is the moment your body no longer feels it has to prepare for what comes next.

Invitation

At the end of your workday, pause for one minute.

Don’t check anything.
Don’t pick up something else.

Notice what is still active in your body.

And instead of following it, take a slow breath, and let your attention drop into where you are.

Perhaps switching off is not something we achieve, but something we gradually allow.

One breath. One evening. One moment of arriving at a time.