With the new right to disconnect laws coming into effect this week, many people are asking questions about how this will impact them and what (if anything) they should do differently.

Work/life balance is an important topic, and rightfully so.

The number one workplace issue people seek support from EAP for is work/life balance, with just under 7% of all clients seeking EAP support in the past year needing help on this issue.

But it’s not always straightforward to simply ‘switch off’ at the end of the day.

Here are some tips for what you can do, both for yourself and your team’s mental health to help achieve work/life balance.

Managing yourself

Decide on your boundaries and stick to them

Many of us don’t work a 9-5 job and switching off immediately at the end of a workday is simply not how we do business.

There is nothing wrong with working outside of your regularly scheduled hours if this is something you wish to do and works with your lifestyle.

However, if you are finding the boundaries between home and work are increasingly blurry, have a think about where you’d like to set that boundary for yourself.

For example, you may decide to not check your emails after a certain time.

Or perhaps timebox work activities on the weekend to a specific block of time, and ensure you have enjoyable activities scheduled before and after so you can completely disengage.

Being intentional about setting that boundary – wherever it is for you – and then sticking to it can help increase your feeling of control over your situation.

Where possible, choose how you engage

If you find yourself having a fantastic idea in the middle of the night, or your boss pings you something interesting to read on LinkedIn on the weekend, remember that you don’t necessarily need to deal with it right at that moment.

Consider sending yourself a short email with some key dot points about your idea so you remember it the next day or forward yourself the link so you can remember to come back to something you saw during your down time.

Remember to prioritise time for yourself too

When we get busy, often the first things to get removed from the ‘to do’ list are important self-care activities like exercise, eating a healthy meal, or enjoying a hobby.

However, taking time for these sort of activities is protective of mental health.

Even when you’re busy, try to schedule some time for these small breaks to help recharge your wellbeing.

Can’t make a full gym session?

Try a walk around the block when you grab a coffee, or a quick stroll at lunchtime in the sunshine.

A little bit of time outside, especially among greenery, can be a positive quick ‘reset’ button when we’re feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed.

Managing other people

If you are responsible for other people, remember that your actions can impact on their ability to switch off too.

Try these tips for helping your team remember to also prioritise self-care.

Delay sending non-urgent emails

If you choose to work late but don’t need an immediate response, consider delaying sending your email.

Many mail applications allow you to choose to send your email during work hours so you can easily schedule it to send the next working day.

This allows you to still get your thoughts or ideas out when they’re fresh but removes the pressure from your team to answer out of work hours.

Include your regular working hours in your email

Consider adding a note to your email or signature text that acknowledges if you’re sending an email out of hours but don’t expect a response in the same timeframe.

You can try something like:

‘I work flexibly at different times of the day which suit my schedule. Please don’t feel obliged to respond outside your regular work hours.’

A simple message like this can take reduce the pressure to respond immediately and give others the freedom to respond at a time that suits them.

Speak with your team about your expectations

Use the release of the new legislation as an opportunity to speak with your team about your expectations.

Are there times when it’s essential they respond after hours?

Are there times when you are happy to wait on an answer?

What is the expected typical response time to emails?

Consider creating a team charter so everyone is clear on expectations.

The right to disconnect provides the opportunity to revisit some of these fundamentals in terms of managing your own wellbeing, as well as ensuring you are actively supporting the wellbeing of your team.