Dinner conversation can easily slip into job site challenges and the couch time you'd been craving can end up swallowed by evening bookwork or planning for the next day's job. Suddenly you feel like you're stuck on a hamster wheel of work with no time left for play, and that can start to take a significant mental toll.

With surveys showing that up to 40 percent of Australian tradies don't prioritise caring for their mental and physical health, there's a real need for easy and effective "tools" that can help you switch off – and implementing a quick "gear shift" between work and home can be a great place to start.

"[We benefit from] transitional activities between work finishing and home life starting," says Louise Troen, Headspace spokesperson.

"We can all be guilty of bringing work home with us and having running thoughts about difficult conversations we had that day or tasks we didn't or couldn't complete or thinking about what needs to be done tomorrow."

Where "work hard or go home" attitudes once reined supreme, there's now a growing acceptance that prioritising time for fun and rest is critical for our performance (and our headspace).

"We need to revisit how we view 'downtime'," Troen says.

"Downtime is incredibly productive and can shift both our attitudes and abilities to a better place."

Troen says that not getting enough rest – including both sleep and leisure time – can leave us burnt out and fatigued, which is not good for us or our businesses.

"If you find you're not using your downtime wisely, then it might be beneficial to reflect on how you'd like to use your time in these restful moments – chat with [mates], change up your scenery and get outside in nature," she suggests.

Putting a deliberate circuit-breaker between work and home time may enhance your ability to capitalise on – and enjoy – the free time you've got.

"Shifting gears is like a reset – it gives us a mental break and helps us to be better focused with the next thing we are doing," explains coach Dr Jo Lukins, who has more than 25 years' experience influencing the culture and mindsets of high performers.

"You could try playing music you love in the car on the way home, taking three deep breaths in the car before you step out and walk into home, or having a regular go-to activity like throwing a tennis ball to the dog or watering the lawn. The task matters less than the activity that signals to you that you're home."

Trying a guided meditation for as little as one or two minutes can be another easy daily drill.

"Using an app like Headspace is also useful – it has mini meditations for quick breaks to help you implement your downtime activities," Troen says.

"Having a few moments, whether it's a five minute meditation or a one minute breathing exercise can help keep you in the present moment and revitalise you in the best possible way to be present in your home life and with the people that matter most – your friends and family."