Taking off the work watch...

When my kids were young, coming home from work was chaotic—but it was also the best way to decompress. With six children running around, my wife ready for me to jump in, and the noise of family life everywhere, I didn’t have much of a choice but to leave work behind. Even though I was often tired or distracted, being “forced” into Dad mode shifted my focus. My wife and kids got my attention (admittedly not always perfectly), and even though I sometimes had to get back on the laptop later in the evening, those first few hours at home helped me reset.

Now life looks different. All of our kids are grown. Even our youngest (Mack-18), who is still “at home”, works full time and when not there, is often out with friends. These days, it’s usually just my sweet wife, Darcy, and me when I walk in the door. So what does decompressing look like now? I’ve built some new rhythms. The first thing I do is take off my Apple Watch, put it on the charger, and strap on my “dumb” watch. That simple switch helps me mentally clock out. Then Darcy and I spend 10–15 minutes catching up, asking each other about the best and hardest parts of our day. Giving her my first minutes at home matters—because she’s the most important.

After that, I head outside. I check on my chickens, wander the garden, pull a few weeds (or just grumble about them and leave them for tomorrow), or work on a project in the shop. The activity itself doesn’t matter as much as the intentional change. I’ve found that I need to create space where work is “taken off.” If I don’t, I’ll either dive right back into emails or lose myself scrolling on my phone. For me, decompressing isn’t about escape—it’s about engaging: with my wife, with my hands, and with life at home. And here’s a tip: find one small, tangible ritual—like swapping your watch, changing your clothes/shoes, or putting your phone in another room—that signals to your brain, “work is done.” It makes a world of difference.