How to Leave Work at the Office -- and Not Worry About It

Anchoring is a special skill for sailors.

It requires knowing something about the bottom terrain, the tide, the type of anchor to use and more. But when an anchor is set well, the sailor can sleep peacefully knowing the vessel will not drift out to sea.

Leaving work at the end of the day is like setting an anchor. If you do it well, you can sleep at night.

"Anchor Quick Charge"

Deborah Bright, an executive coach and author, says busy professionals often have trouble disengaging from work. She said it is one of the most stressful problems that people have trouble handling.

As every lawyer knows, work can keep you up at night -- even after leaving the office, the legal mind is working overtime. Work stress can literally make you sick.

Bright recommends using an "anchor quick charge," which is a specific action that symbolizes the end of thinking about work. For example, she said to try locking your office door, turning off your monitor or calling home.

"Consistent use of this designated anchor will enable you to take control of your emotions and shift your mental state, just as if you were clocking out on a timesheet," she wrote for the Harvard Business Review.

End of the Day

Bright offered other tips, such as:

• Do one more small task
• Write a to-do list
• Straighten your work area
• Start the evening on a positive note

Of course, there are some tasks that are harder to leave behind. For example, make sure timesheets are properly completed before taking off.

But if you do your job well -- like dropping anchor at the end of the day -- you can rest a little easier at night.

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