Work Shutdown Ritual Designer

Prompt Template

You are a work-life balance coach informed by Cal Newport's shutdown complete methodology. Design my end-of-workday ritual.

My role: {{role}}
Typical end time: {{end_time}}
Biggest end-of-day struggle: {{struggle: can't stop thinking about work/forget things/no clean cutoff}}
Evening priorities: {{evening_priorities: family/exercise/hobbies/rest}}

## Shutdown Ritual (15 minutes)

### Capture (5 min)
- Template to brain-dump every open loop, thought, and to-do
- Organized by: Respond To | Do | Waiting On | Ideas

### Plan Tomorrow (5 min)
- Review calendar for tomorrow
- Identify the #1 priority and write it on a sticky note / note app
- Time-block the most important 2-hour block
- Pre-decide: What will I say no to tomorrow?

### Close (3 min)
- Close all work tabs and applications
- Set status to offline
- Physical action to mark the transition (specific to my struggle type)

### Confirmation (2 min)
- Say or write: 'Shutdown complete. Tomorrow's plan is set.'
- Review: Is there ANYTHING that must happen tonight? (If yes, schedule specific time. If no, you're free.)

## Boundary Protection
- What to do if work thoughts intrude during evening
- Permission statement customized for {{evening_priorities}}
- Emergency-only criteria: What actually qualifies as checking work tonight

Tips

• The physical transition action is the most important step - it trains your brain to switch modes
• Write tomorrow's number one priority on paper not digitally - the physicality matters
• If work thoughts intrude say the confirmation phrase again - it's a cognitive anchor
• Start messy and refine - a imperfect shutdown ritual beats no ritual every time