3 Helpful Tips To Help You To Ease Back Into The Workplace
I would be lying if I said I was a bit stressed about working again.
The last time I worked, was sometime in February. Lord.
Although, I am a bit of a workaholic, not working did take a toll but I had other things to do such as complete my university degree.
Was it a distraction? Kind of. However, I taught me that I need to get my priorities straight.
Money is necessary for sure but I spent A LOT of money on my master’s degree so I need to put 100% effort in.
So now, I have finished my degree (YAY)!! It is now time, to gather myself, breathe and go back into the workplace. Time to put this degree to use and make it all worthwhile.
I would like to share my positives of staying at home:
- I got the help I needed! CBT has been amazing. The process has been insightful and resourceful. I have learnt many things and I will share my experience in an upcoming post.
- Self-care kicked up a notch- with more time on my hand, I took self-care more seriously. I started doing yoga, went on for walks, journaling and reading self-care books. Check here for my review on an amazing book just for us ladies.
- I focused on my blog- I sorted out some things and became more consistent with regards to my blog. Obviously, I need to work on a few things but I am grateful that I took more time to check on things and evaluate my blog.
- Organisation is a key for me- Writing to-do lists have helped me to achieve my goals. As my university was online, I had to be disciplined. A routine was inevitable. I worked out in the morning and then logged on for a day of lectures. On the days I didn’t have uni, I focused on another course that will help me with my job. Not to mention, I also worked on my blog and youtube channel! Without being organised. None of this would have been possible!
Why staying at home for so long is not ideal:
- Lack of interaction with others- Although, I am a member of the introvert, quiet and mind my business society, it did not serve me well as when I was aware that I could potentially be around a group of people, the nerves kicked in. It had been months, so it took some adjusting once things such as the gym started to open up again.
- Need fresh air- It is so important. Being active and being among nature has many benefits so without it, it can have an impact on our physical and mental wellbeing.
Now that I back at work, I found these steps helped me to get readjusted:
- Take your time= As you are back in an environment that you were absent from for a while, you may take a while to get accustomed to everything along with taking COVID precautions. Many people going back to the office and it will take a while to deal with this ‘new normal’. Take every day as it is. Over time, you will become adjusted, There is no rush.
- Get support if needed= Some people may be anxious about being back at work which is to be expected. What I hope some companies are doing, is provided support for employees who may be struggling with adjusting back to the work environment. If this is not the case for you, please do reach out to some mental health services in your area. There are agencies available and provide a listening ear. I do hope you have a loved one or someone you can covide in and provide support during this time of figuring things out.
- Negotiate= Jumping from working at home to working full time in an office or your workplace can be a bit of a jump. Easing into work will help people feel less stressed about the process however, this may not be possible depending on the type of job you have. Talking to your employer about the steps you may need to take to ensure you don’t do too much too quickly will be worthwhile. It is essential that you feel confident in your job and that your voice is heard. Working 40 hours can be draining so if this unavoidable, ensure that you get breaks if you can and that you are able to take a breather when necessary.
You are not alone. Millions across the world are going back to their departments, their work buildings and so on.
Confide in your colleagues. Get support within or external to the workplace if you need it.
There is no shame in asking for extra support to ensure you do the best work possible and be the best version of you!
Take it easy and thanks for reading.
