This simple end-of-day ritual could make you 22% better at your job - Silicon Canals

"Then I discovered something that changed everything: a simple 15-minute reflection ritual at the end of each workday that not only helped me leave work at work but actually made me significantly better at my job. Here's the kicker - this isn't just feel-good advice. Research has shown that workers who take just 15 minutes a day to reflect on their work perform 22% better. That's not a typo."

"Why your brain needs closure (and isn't getting it) Ever wonder why work thoughts ambush you at the worst times? It's because your brain hates loose ends. Psychologists call this the Zeigarnik effect - our minds naturally hold onto unfinished business. Without a proper transition ritual, you're basically asking your brain to juggle flaming torches while trying to relax. No wonder we're all so stressed."

"The modern workday doesn't really end anymore, does it? We close our laptops, but our Slack notifications keep pinging. We leave the office, but our email follows us home. There's no clear line between "work mode" and "life mode." This is where the end-of-day reflection ritual comes in. It's like hitting a reset button for your brain, giving it permission to actually stop working."

A simple 15-minute reflection ritual at the end of each workday helps people stop ruminating about work and improves job performance. Workers who spend 15 minutes daily reflecting can perform about 22% better. The brain resists loose ends—known as the Zeigarnik effect—so unfinished tasks and notifications keep work thoughts active. Without a transition ritual, the mind continues processing work, causing stress and difficulty relaxing. End-of-day reflection provides cognitive closure, activates metacognition, and functions like a reset button that gives the brain permission to switch from work mode to life mode, supporting recovery and sustained performance.

Read at Silicon Canals