Struggling to switch off work thoughts when you're trying to sleep? You're not alone. In this episode, psychologist Sharon Draper shares evidence-based strategies for creating mental boundaries between work and rest, while creative leaders Rebecca Jones-Bateman (Brand Manager at Bayer and Head of Community and Growth at Never Not Creative) and Tarra van Amerongen (Head of Design, Jira Platform at Atlassian) offer practical insights from their experience managing high-pressure creative roles. From building proper work shutdown rituals to using visualisation techniques for racing thoughts, discover how to stop yourself thinking about work when trying to get to sleep and finally get the rest you need.
If you've ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2am, mentally rehearsing tomorrow's presentation or worrying about that deadline, you're definitely not alone. Work thoughts have a sneaky way of following us to bed, turning what should be restful time into an extended office meeting in our heads.
The good news? There are practical ways to create some distance between your work brain and your sleep brain. It's not about becoming a zen master overnight, it's about building small habits that help your mind wind down properly.
This question was answered by Sharon Draper – Psychologist with 13 years of experience helping people understand their thoughts and behaviours, particularly around stress and mental health in professional settings. Rebecca Jones-Bateman – Host, Brand Manager at Bayer and Head of Community and Growth at Never Not Creative, bringing her experience in supporting creative professionals' wellbeing. Tarra van Amerongen – Head of Design, Jira Platform at Atlassian, offering insights from her extensive leadership experience in high-pressure creative environments.
Before diving into sleep techniques, Sharon suggests getting specific about what's bothering you: "Sleep is usually the first thing to go when we feel stressed about something, so I'd encourage this person to identify what it is about work that they are feeling stressed about."
Rather than thinking "I'm so stressed," try to pinpoint the exact issue. Is it an overwhelming workload? A looming deadline? A difficult conversation you need to have? As Sharon explains: "If you can try and be specific, it just helps you to know what the specific issue is that we can then work with."
This isn't about solving every work problem before bed, it's about understanding what your brain is actually wrestling with so you can address it more effectively.
One of the most important steps is creating clear boundaries between work time and personal time. Sharon emphasises the importance of a work shutdown ritual, especially if you're working from home.
"Try to do something that's a transition from your work to your personal life," Sharon suggests. She shares her own experience: "I used to walk from work quite a lot... my music while I walked was just something that helped me like every step I felt like I was leaving the clients back in that practice."
If you're working from home, keep work contained to one area if possible. Definitely avoid working from your bed, and if your bedroom is your only option, create a separate corner with a desk.
Sharon uses a helpful analogy: "Sleep isn't like a helicopter landing, it's more like an airplane like a big airplane coming in to land, so you've got to think of you need a runway in order to slow the airplane down."
Your sleep runway should include:
If you find yourself lying awake with racing work thoughts, Sharon recommends the 20-30 minute rule: "If you find that you're lying there for 20 to 30 minutes... they always say to get up... because the brain likes associating things and as soon as you are stimulated and awake while you're lying in bed it will associate the bed as being awake time."
Get up and do something mildly distracting but not stimulating. Listen to a podcast, do some gentle stretching, or try meditation. Return to bed only when you feel sleepy again.
For persistent racing thoughts, Sharon suggests a specific visualisation exercise: "Visualise doing something that you do quite often... trying to visualise you doing it with as much detail as possible and don't imagine you're watching yourself doing it like a movie, rather like imagine you're actually doing it."
This works because it distracts your mind with something comforting while helping you feel calmer about something familiar and certain.
Writing things down can be incredibly effective. "Journal if you can before you go to bed... get your thoughts out, write a to-do list if you need to," Sharon advises. "Think of it as like a purge... and then every time you start thinking about it, I don't need to think about it, I've written it down."
Tarra echoes this approach: "If I have something unresolved in my head I will write it down or I might spend an hour that evening to get it out of my head because I know it will impact my sleep later."
Both Tarra and Rebecca mention the power of physical activity to clear mental clutter. Tarra calls her running time "my church" where she goes "to the forest" to "resolve and calm down things." It gets her "physically tired but it also gets me out of like the messages and the pings and all the stuff."
Whether it's running, walking, yoga, or another form of movement, find something that helps you physically process the day's stress.
Sharon makes an important point: "It's not about trying to find a sleep ritual or sleep opportunity now because I'm stressed, it really needs to be a lifestyle change that we implement because sleep is so important."
These aren't emergency measures to deploy only when work stress peaks. They're habits to build into your regular routine so your mind and body know how to transition from work mode to rest mode.
As Rebecca acknowledges, when you're a creative person deeply immersed in work, "you're thinking about it in the shower, walking down the road." This is part of what makes creative work both rewarding and challenging.
The key is recognising when those thoughts shift from productive creativity to stress and anxiety that interferes with your wellbeing. Your sleep matters, your rest matters, and taking steps to protect both isn't selfish – it's essential for doing your best work and living your best life.
Head of Design for Jira Platform at Atlassian with experience across in-house, agency & consulting. Teaches innovation design at UTS, advises on boards & is a trained Mental Health First Aider.
Psychologist with 13 years’ experience, developing Taking Up Space for women who people-please, focusing on emotional awareness & authentic living. Works with eHarmony Australia & major media.
Head of Community and Growth at Never Not Creative, focused on building a kinder, more sustainable industry. Leads Circles, a peer support group for honest conversations, and brings a strong mix of marketing know-how, empathy and community spirit.
