The past year, and the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, has seen most employers encourage their employees to work from home or remotely. Although most of us had accepted the idea and conveniences of working from home, some might have to return to the office sooner rather than later. The thought of going back to the office, and the daily commutes, can be terrifying for many people and could trigger a number of concerns and anxiety among most employees. The only best way to overcome this is to prepare yourself mentally and physically. Outlined below are a few ideas and tips to help you transition back to office life.
1. Prepare Your Internal Clock
One of the perks of working from home is you never have to commute. If going back to work means long commutes, you need to start preparing your body for the same. This may entail going to bed and waking up a little earlier than you might have been used to. Set the alarm to wake up at the same time you used to pre-covid, prepare and have a nice breakfast, or go for an early morning walk or even cycle to work. Doing so will allow the body to rewire for the new normal, making it easier to transition to early morning commutes too.
You also want to change your eating habits too. If you have been having your dinner earlier than usual, you might want to push meal times to a later time to match when you would have your meals upon returning from the office. It would also be advisable to start having a heavy breakfast as well. This will help ensure you don’t feel hungry before lunchtime
2. Start Dressing For Work
It’s no secret, most of us have been working in our pajamas or loungewear at home – this will have to change as well. You want to start going back to your office attire even before your day to report back to work. The idea is to start dressing professionally like you would do when in the office. This will also give you a chance to see if the clothes still fit or need new ones. This is especially important if you are required to stick to a strict office dress code.
3. Check On Your Spending
Working from home helped cut down some expenses, including commuting, beer, lunch, and the morning coffee close to the office. Most people used the saved-up amount on other things, such as restocking the house. However, going back to work brings most, if not all, of these expenses back, a reason you should re-adjust your lifestyle and spending. Budgeting for everything in the house is one of the best ways to free up some money for lunches, coffee, and commuting costs. Save money, reduce anxiety and get healthier by walking or cycling to work and getting some exercise by doing so
4. Engage With Your Employer
If you have any concerns about going back to work, especially if it will be safe to do so, make your concerns known by the employer. Enquire about the safety measures they have put in place to ensure a safe and comfortable working environment. Your input might go a long way in ensuring all health and safety protocols are implemented in the workplace. You could also inquire about a gradual or flexible return to work formula for everyone’s safety. This is, however, dependent on the nature of your work, among several other factors. Work time tracking services make a hybrid office and remote working schedule easy to manage.
5. Be Mindful Of Your Mental Health
Your mental health is as important as physical health when preparing to resume work. There are several ways to improve your mental health and avoid any stressful and depressing conditions. Going for a walk, yoga, light exercises, listening to calming music might help.
6. Learn To Communicate
Talking to your colleagues and employer can also help your body and mind re-adjust. Keeping in touch with them is an excellent way to train your body, allowing you to look forward to going back to the office. This is particularly crucial if anxious and worried about going back to the office. Talking to fellow workers and the employer can help boost your morale and readiness to go back.
7. Identify And List Down The Things You Look Forward To In The Office
Do you still have memories of the little fun moments you had in the office before everyone retreated to work from home? Take time to write all these down, especially what you missed and looking forward to doing/experience. This can be anything from the little chats with colleagues between tasks, the after-work pints, or the quiet train commute in the evening. Listing all these down will help you want to go back to doing the same, if not see your colleagues once more.
