Remote work has changed so many things for the better.

More flexibility.
Better work/life harmony.
Increased productivity.
Sweatpants and sunlight and autonomy.

But there’s one thing missing that most people haven’t been taught to replace:

The decompression window.

Back when we went into the office, there was a natural break built into the day.
You walked out of a meeting and into your car.
You drove home while mentally reviewing the day, processing a tough conversation, or calling a friend to vent.

By the time you walked through your front door,
you’d had time to transition, to regulate, to shift from work mode into life mode.

Now?

You close your laptop and 30 seconds later, you’re being asked what’s for dinner.
Or stepping into childcare.
Or managing logistics with a partner or roommate.

Even if you’re ending your day “on time,” the energy of work can linger in your body and mind for hours —because there’s no true off-ramp.

This isn’t just about burnout or overwork.
It’s about overstimulation.
Emotional residue.
And the mental clutter we carry from one part of our life into the next.

When you don’t create a clean break between roles, your nervous system never really knows when it’s safe to let go.

That’s why even when you’re technically “off,” you still feel on.

And that’s exactly why you need a new kind of commute.

What a Modern-Day Commute Can Look Like

You don’t need a 45-minute drive.
You just need a ritual — a repeatable process that signals to your brain:

“The workday is over. You’re safe to shift gears.”

Here are a few ways I’ve seen this done well:

1. Exit your house — and come back in.

This is one of my favorite personal rituals for a modern-day commute.

My office is right near my front door. So if I’ve had a long day, I’ll walk out the front door, take a deep breath, get the mail, stand in the sunshine for a moment … and then come back in through the garage door.

It sounds silly. But it’s incredibly effective.

It gives me a moment of closure (without distraction) and helps me return as me, not just “work me.”

2. Use a physical cue.

I have a bell on my desk.
At the end of the day, I ring it.
Then I sit for just a minute. Breathe. Reflect.
Sometimes I say, “You did enough today.”

Some of my clients use an open/closed sign on their office door.
Others close their laptop and say out loud, “Work is done. I’m home now.”

It’s not about the thing.

It’s about the signal it sends to your nervous system.

3. Have a conversation with the people you live with.

This one’s crucial and often overlooked.

Just like coworkers needed a heads-up that you were transitioning between meetings,
your family, partner, or roommates need to know what helps you make the shift from work to home mode.

Try questions like:

• “What do you need from me at the end of the day?”
  
• “What’s something that would help us reconnect after work?”
  
• “Can we agree on a buffer before we jump into logistics or questions?”
  

Creating a shared understanding around decompression helps everyone show up better.

Final Thought: Remote Work Isn’t Problematic — But We Still Have to Adjust

We’re not just working from home.
We’re doing everything from home.
And that means we have to be even more intentional about our transitions.

You don’t need to go back to the office.
You don’t need to change jobs.

But you probably need to build yourself a new kind of commute.

One that honors the shift from productivity to presence.
From strategy to stillness.
From doing to being.

Want To Make Remote Leadership More Sustainable?

I help leaders and professionals build structure, habits, and rituals that support both performance and well-being. If you want my support, book a consultation call to learn more about my LeadWell executive coaching program.