We tend to think detachment means becoming cold or disengaged, but occupational psychology uses the word differently: research finds that mentally switching off from work during your free time is associated with less exhaustion, fewer sleep problems and greater life satisfaction
Detachment has a chilly reputation. In ordinary conversation, it can sound like emotional distance, cynicism or a slow retreat from the people and tasks that once mattered. At work, the word can sound even worse, as if an employee has stopped caring, stopped trying or quietly che…