15 Clever Ideas Executives Can Use To Unplug And Truly Relax

Business leaders sometimes have a hard time letting go of work. As more organizations adopt hybrid and remote models that allow professionals to work from home, mentally detaching from work to enjoy their private lives can become more of a challenge.

In this always-on digital world, unplugging and truly relaxing can be difficult even for executives who work in the office and can head home at the end of each day. Below, 15 members of Forbes Coaches Council share some of their favorite ways to unwind.

1. Enjoy Micro-Moments Of Things You Love

Give yourself micro-moments of things you love to help you unplug. If you love music, then listen to a favorite song. If you love nature, then take a walk around the block for 10 minutes. You don’t have to block off 30 minutes or an hour (if you can, great!). Instead, use the moments you have to do something that changes your energy and fuels you. It’s amazing what a song, a quick chat or a walk can do. - Palena Neale, unabridged

2. Practice Heart And Mind Coherence

I always promote heart and mind coherence to executives, as it is a simple and easy way to unplug as well as promote inner balance. Through a simple yet effective technique that can be practiced anywhere, executives can shift into and sustain a more relaxed state, which enhances self-awareness and the ability to shift into a coherent state more frequently. - Surinder Kullar, Surinder Kullar

3. Find A Bar Or Restaurant With A Relaxing Ambiance

Find a bar or restaurant with an ambiance that allows you to unplug and relax—ideally, one with soft, live music and an overall noise level that cannot be interpreted as everyone being in a rush that’s never crowded to the point where you cannot find a seat. Also, the location must be complete with a bar attendant who makes your favorite beverage. Please find that spot and lock it in as a favorite on your GPS apps. - Anthony Howard, HR Certified LLC

4. Add Times For Breaks And Exercise To Your Calendar

I’ve found that adding break times and exercise times to my calendar is the most effective way to ensure I’m taking a break and can truly relax. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to unplug in this digital age with folks’ accessibility to our personal cellphone numbers and email accounts. But a combination of a blocked-off time plus “do not disturb mode” on an iPhone helps significantly. - Alana Henry, The Writique, LLC

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

5. Create A Playlist Of Your Favorite Tunes

Listening to a playlist of your favorite tunes—whether they be 80s cheese, 90s dance, classical or pop—can shift the brain back into a state of presence and calm. You can’t feel stressed and mindfully listen to music at the same time. Singing tones the vagus nerve, and dancing brings presence with feelings of safety to the nervous system. It’s fun and engaging. - Caroline Strawson, School of Embodied Trauma Informed Living

6. Focus/Embody Your Personal Intention

Unplugging can be hard. The brain has a tendency to want to resolve uncertainty. However, this isn’t always possible. While studying with a guru for over 10 years, I learned to take a step back and focus/embody my personal intention (my chosen direction for my life), which allows me to come back to my center quickly. I enter a more conscious, present state of awareness. I then relax and smile. - Michelle Anne, MichelleAnne

7. Give Your Full Concentration To Something

Find something that needs your full concentration. It could be golf for one person, crafting for another, dancing, yachting—whatever helps to find your inner flow and turn off your brain from thinking about tasks and business. - Aina Alive, Bee Agile

8. Get Outside And Take Three Deep Breaths

For me, getting outside and taking three deep breaths is the first step. Use your senses to get in touch. While walking or sitting on a park bench, just observe what/who is around you. Are there birds, squirrels or dogs just being themselves? What about the people around you? Are they rushing about, walking deliberately and such? Make up a story about them; see where your mind takes you. Let go! - Linda Patten, Wayneflete, Inc. dba Dare2Lead With Linda

9. Go Into Hibernation Mode

A great way to unplug is to go into hibernation mode. Vacation with family where there is not much internet connectivity—somewhere you can connect with nature and discover your true self. - Nagesh Sharma, Flowsphere India Private Limited

10. Hire An Executive Assistant

Hire an EA to check your email and respond on your behalf. When your EA is unavailable, have an on-call, out-of-office responder and set clear expectations of when people can expect a response. In your autoresponder, paint the picture of what you are doing so they have complete compassion and understanding for your time away. - Molly McGrath, Hiring & Empowering Solutions, LLC

11. Do Something With Your Hands

Play an instrument, cook, knit, build, tinker or doodle. Sometimes, the mind needs an activity that requires some attention in order to downshift. Hobbies—pursued as hobbies, not as side hustles—can also help us maintain a sense of play in our lives, which helps reduce stress and boosts creativity and energy levels. - Ross Blankenship, Tuesday Advisors

12. Exercise Boundaries Through Visualization

Exercising boundaries is important in any business leader’s journey. I work with my clients to do a visualization exercise that I have been doing for decades. When I am in work mode, I put myself through time, so I am constantly aware of my calendar and control my day to avoid it controlling me. When I am off, I put myself in time, so the only thing that matters to me is the now. - Stacey O’Byrne, Pivot Point Advantage

13. Schedule Weekly ‘Me Time’

There’s no shortage of advice out there for executives looking to unplug and relax. But most of us are creatures of habit, so breaking out of our normal routines can be tough. One clever idea is to schedule some “me time” in your calendar each week and look forward to it. Dedicating an hour or two to activities that center you and clear your mind can significantly affect your stress levels. - Giorgio Genaus, Genius Institute PTY LTD

14. Treat Yourself As You Would A VIP Client

So often, we attain success by putting in late nights, staying connected and being on the go. The reality is, without pausing from time to time, we increase the risk of burnout. Consider treating yourself with the same respect and attention you give your VIP clients. Schedule uninterrupted time with yourself to laugh, meditate, rest and reset. Sustaining a healthy mind, body and spirit is a winning strategy. - Edward Reed, The John Maxwell Team

15. Find Time At End Of Work Days To Regroup

Everyone needs a shut-down ritual. Allocate time at the very end of your work day to regroup. Use the time to reconcile tasks or conversations from the day and make a plan for the upcoming day. The goal is not to complete every open task. Instead, the goal is for everything to be organized in a way that you can relax knowing that you can hit the ground running the next day. - Scott Dust, Cloverleaf