The Work Shutdown Ritual

Computer scientist Cal Newport ends his workdays with a ritual that looks roughly like this1:

First, he reads through his master task list and schedules what’s urgent in the near future.

Next, he reviews his calendar for the next two weeks and confirms which appointments and deadlines are coming up.

Then, he reviews his plan for the current week, notes what got done today, and revises the remaining days.

And finally, he closes his computer and says his magic phrase, “Schedule shutdown, complete!”

The beauty of a protocol like this is that it helps you get any lingering work-related tasks out of your head and into a system you trust.

So, if you tend to worry about your job in your free time, I highly recommend you create a work shutdown ritual.

It will make it much easier to leave work at the office and be fully present at home.

Footnotes

  1. Deep Work by Cal Newport


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