Written by Joyce Marter
There’s no doubt that coronavirus has changed the way we work and live. Many people who have never worked from home found themselves learning to adapt to the “new normal” of not being in the office. That took a lot of adjusting. Today, many employers are requiring employees to go back to their office part-time or full-time. This transition has understandably created significant unwelcomed stress and anxiety.
As a psychotherapist and national corporate trainer, I’ve been conducting webinars for companies globally to help employees emotionally prepare to successfully return back to the office. The following universal self-care tips can set you up for a successful return to the workplace.
Shift your mindset back into a routine by starting your day right. Establish a structured morning routine that works for you and starts your day on the right foot. If you are a planner, plan your outfit, a nutritious breakfast, and set the coffee maker the night before. If not, leave yourself time in the morning for self-care. Practice a morning meditation or set intentions for the day.
Think positive. According to neuroscience, the brain creates neural pathways based on our habits and behaviors. When negative thinking becomes the norm, it becomes our default pattern. With positive thinking and repeated new behaviors, we train our brains to create new neural pathways. As the pathways become stronger, positive thinking can become the new normal.
Practice gratitude and acceptance. Gratitude is a choice. I’ve seen unhappy people with great financial prosperity and happy people who practice gratitude with very little. Gratitude can help positively reframe negative situations. Positive reframing is a technique where you try to reconsider things in a positive light to transform your thinking.
“Change is hard especially when it disrupts a routine”
Manage your sleep. Set a notification one hour before your optimal bedtime. Use the next 30 minutes to wrap up what you are doing and then put away your device for the night. Use the next 30 minutes to read, journal, take a hot lavender bath, or do a guided meditation.
Don’t ditch the workout. Establish a workout routine by putting it on your calendar and then visualize yourself doing it. Make it a realistic routine so you aren’t setting yourself up for failure.
Dress the part. Working from home gave us an opportunity to loosen up that professional look. Now that you are going back to the office, make sure your clothes fit and you feel comfortable in them and you are looking your best.
Reintegrate the commute time. One of the biggest perks of working from home was the zero commute time. You can get that time back by commuting to work with friends or co-workers or listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or music during your commute. Use this time to reinvigorate yourself.
Plan for healthy meal prep throughout the week. Sundays are a good day for meal planning for the entire week. If you don’t have time, consider meal-kit providers like Hello Fresh that deliver healthy prepped food to your doorstep.
Manage your dependents. Maybe you were able to eliminate childcare costs or pet sitter costs because you worked from home. Be grateful for the money you saved. Now, take time to research the most convenient, dependable and affordable options for you.
Introduce daily self-care practices at work. Pack a self-care kit for work including healthy snacks, teas, hand lotions, essential oils, sneakers to go for a walk during lunch. Consider anything else that will make you comfortable or give you a refresh throughout the day.
Recalibrate expectations to zero. Before heading back to work, mentally scan for any expectations you may have, mindfully let them go, and cultivate an attitude of openness and receptivity. You might be surprised by the results.
Delegate and access support. Maybe you’ve taken on more responsibilities while working at home. Before you jump back in, create a to-do list and ask yourself, “Am I the best person to do this? Am I the only person who can do this? Do I enjoy doing this? Is this worth my time?” Outsource tasks you don’t enjoy, when possible. Identify where you need help and ask for it.
Embrace mindfulness. Mindfulness is especially useful as it facilitates creativity, flexibility, and adaptability which enhances decision-making and financial outcomes. Recording your mindfulness practices in an app or journal can keep you on track.
The reality is change is hard especially when it disrupts a routine. At first, working from home might have sounded too good to be true. No more commute time or traffic jams? But what about the intrusion of work into your home life?
A recent study looked at the impact of working from home during the pandemic. Negatives included family-work conflict and social isolation which caused unwanted stress. Meanwhile, self-leadership and autonomy were positively related. There’s no doubt returning to work will require adjustments. While in the office you no longer need to worry and apologize about background noise from your pets, kids, or your neighbor mowing the lawn. However, it may take some time to get used to distractions and noise from coworkers.
To cope with change, set some boundaries with yourself and others. A study showed working at home during the pandemic blurred lines between work and leisure time. Maybe you did household chores or ran some errands throughout the day. Perhaps you regularly responded to emails after hours or on the weekend because of the proximity of your work computer to your living room. Now’s the time to set new boundaries.
Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, shares some wise words, “Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.” Keep this philosophy in mind when managing your transition back to the office.
Joyce Marter is a licensed psychotherapist, entrepreneur, national public speaker, and a mental health thought leader. She is the founder of Urban Balance and the author of The Financial Mindset Fix: A Mental Fitness Program for an Abundant Life.