How To Leave It At The Office

But leave it at the office: It happens to me all the time. We have just eaten dinner and are settling into our evening routine when all of a sudden I remember that I forgot to respond to an email. Or I start wondering if I've gotten the response I've been waiting on from a client or salesperson. As much as I want (and need) a break from all the office madness that inundates my day, it can be tough to turn off my work-brain at night.

The most obvious step to breaking the shackles that tie you to work is to simply unchain yourself. In today's world, that often means disconnecting and connecting with the living.

I was recently at a business dinner with some clients. While we were waiting for our table, I started people-watching. I was surprised to see so many people paying more attention to their phones than their own dinner company. If you look around, you will regularly see people taking calls or responding to a text or checking Facebook--all while engaged in a conversation.

To limit the distractions in my own life, I turn off my work phone every night from dinnertime until the kids' bedtime. Even though it's only a few hours, time seems to pass more slowly when I disconnect. I'm not interrupted constantly and I can cherish the time I spend with my children.

Unless you are actually being paid to be on-call at all hours, you can, and should, disconnect from all company-issued devices every evening. If you absolutely must take some work home with you once in a while, try to wait until after the kids are in bed to tackle it. That way, even if you have to stay up later, you won't feel resentful that you missed out on precious time with your family because of professional obligations.

It certainly takes some practice to start, and the temptation to check your phone, Facebook account, or Twitter feed is tough, but the effort is worth the reward. The demands for attention may never cease, but you can control your response to these demands by making a concerted effort to keep technology from taking over.

Let your kids play hooky: Once a year, I let each of my daughters "skip" school so we can spend the day together. We go shopping, have a special lunch, watch a movie, and most importantly--laugh. These are memorable moments and I make sure that I am absolutely focused on our time together. We have no errands, no closets to clean, and I don't check my email. They love that they get to miss school, which makes it all the more unforgettable.

Take a day to reconnect with your kids' daily rhythms, talk about their friends, and really listen. Each of your children will always remember their special day with Mom.