Wind down

I’ve come to a realization: I need a wind-down ritual after work.

Not just a commute. Not just autopilot. A real, intentional transition — something that helps me release the workday and settle into the evening.

Right now, my after-work rhythm looks like this: commute home, maybe grab a coffee and a snack, listen to a podcast, pick up my son, walk the dog, catch up with my wife. Then dinner. Then the couch.

And that’s where things get murky.

I’ll flip on the news for a few minutes, maybe some sports, maybe crack open a book — but honestly? Most nights I just want to go to sleep. Not because I’m tired in a healthy, satisfying way. More like… depleted. Like the day just ran through me and kept going.

That’s the signal. That’s what’s telling me something needs to change.

I don’t have the answer yet — but I know this is worth exploring. What does a real wind-down look like for someone who leads all day? What helps the mind actually stop processing and start restoring? This feels like a good research project.

I’ll report back.

What does your transition from work to home actually look like — and is it something you designed, or something that just happened to you?