Back to work you go
High ho, High ho; It’s off to work we go... (There’s an 8th dwarf)
Who brought Anxiety? I thought we told him to stay with Snow White and protect her. Ugh!
True or False an 8th Dwarf was cut from the script?
Just as kids transitioning back to in-person school may have anxiety, adults returning to in-person work may have it too. Even before the pandemic, returning to work after a vacation, illness or maternity/paternity leave, may have been stressful. Returning after a lockdown is no different. “A recent survey found that out of 4,553 office workers in five different countries, every single person reported feeling anxious about the idea of returning to in-person work.” — Sunita Sah, Fast Company
With the vaccine available, some companies are asking employees to return to in-person work. “As COVID vaccines become increasingly available, the work world is beginning to think about the future. Most of that thinking revolves around questions rather than definitive answers at this point. What will work look like in the coming months? When might I need to go back to the office? What expectations will my employer have of me? What flexibility might exist?” — Chris Cancialosi, Forbes One additional question is “What will in-person look like?” Several years ago, I read a productivity book (I can’t remember the one) that advocated for standing meetings because standing for the meeting kept them short. The banter around the water cooler according to studies is beneficial to developing a good company culture and creating a report between managers and their employees. And yet the CDC recommends that we be 3’ apart. It’s more than likely that the water cooler is gone (too many hands touching the dispenser lever) and meetings are virtual to avoid close contact. For in-person work, it is up to your employer to set the guidelines. Be sure you understand the guidelines and your comfort level with them.
Managing your anxiety is super important to making the transition and coming out on top on the other side (and something you have control of in the transition). Be sure you set realistic expectations with your employer and with yourself. “Also, don’t try to go from 1 to 100 on your first day back at work. You need to get used to a new routine once again, which can take some time to bed in. Keep things simple at first, so that you don’t become overwhelmed. As humans, we can find change difficult, so you won’t be alone in dealing with anxiety about going back to work following on from lockdown.” — Dr. Renju Joseph, Priory Hospital Other things you can do to manage your stress: be kind to yourself, develop positive coping mechanisms such as reciting a mantra, have healthy daily routines like getting good sleep and exercising and if needed seek professional help.
The pandemic was felt worldwide, so those returning to in-person work across the globe may have anxiety— you are not alone. And this is most important to remember.