Switching off from work advice please

[missminimum]

I am in a management position in a big organisation. I line manage 17 people. It is a busy environment, I often have to be reactive as when I plan my day/week it can all change if there is staff sickness, management requests for information/attending meetings. I don't find the role stressful, but I find it demanding and work occupies my thoughts constantly. I have thought about asking for a more junior role, but I am giving myself 3 months to try to improve my work life balance, relax more etc. It is a job that I often need to finish off at home, as in the office there is a lot of interruptions. I am allowed to spend periods of time working from home, but obviously need to be visible to my team and available to support them.
I would be grateful for advice on how to switch off from work. My mind is constantly thinking about work, it is not stress but just giving me a lot to think about!

Not being able to switch off is often the symptom not the root cause of a work situation.

I've got a high volume job, lots of deadlines and demands placed on me but I also have an incredibly supportive line manager, so when I'm home and getting on with family life I don't need to think about work, although I create a good old fashioned to do list in my calendar which is a braindump to enable me to forget work and focus on my loved ones.

If you're being robbed of your headspace you need to work out if that's a symptom of some deficiency in your role that needs to be resolved with your line manager or exco. Line managing 17 people sounds a heavy workload but I don't know what scope of activity you personally execute in that LM role. If you have to do all performance development for 17 staff, that's massive.

Thanks daisychain. I line manage 17, which is the smallest team in the organisation. I do all the appraisals, recruitment, supervision and performance management required. I have been recently allowed to increase my hours which may help the workload, but I am concerned losing my time off will make it harder to relax in the less time I have off.

I try to make lists to help manage things and know I don't have to worry about forgetting these things. However, the things that occupy my thoughts, are not the things I have to remember to do, but thoughts around my performance or that of others. If I write something on a list, something else comes into my brain instead. None of it worries me and I am not stressed that I am not capable of doing things. I suppose it is more of an obsession with work,

I have not worked with my current line manager before until recently. She tries to be supportive, but is very reactive and acts on issues immediately, which can lead to having to change things again. My previous manager was more considered, could be seen as very conservtive in her decision making but I suppose that meant I felt more listened to. I have been in my field of work for a long time and I am reluctant to step down from this role as their are few roles at this level, but maybe having less responsibility would mean I could relax more

Managing 17 sounds excessive - can you implement a sub-team structure so your more senior team members manage the junior ones? I'm not sure how you can keep on top of that many people's needs so it's not surprising your brain is full

Chinesechicken, you have made a good point. Maybe I am trying to be supportive of my team and need to delegate more. It would be more effective management