
On productivity: using a shutdown ritual to avoid burnout
ProductivityAug 2, 2026
by Cleo Rivera
@e2e_071Lvl 10Established
I used to "quickly check" Slack at midnight and wake up thinking about bugs. Sleep suffered; morning focus disappeared. Shutdown ritual: write tomorrow's one goal, note blockers, close laptop, literal phrase "work is closed." Phone charges outside the bedroom. It sounds silly, but the cue trained my brain to stop reopening loops. Burnout came from never ending the day, not from working hard during it.