Once you’ve gotten used to working at home, returning to the office requires more than trading in your bunny slippers for dress shoes. The sooner you start planning for the transition, the easier it will be to cope. So many people have made it out to be a massive luxury to work within the confines of your home. However, from experience, we have found it to be quite a trying experience. The biggest challenges have been to know when to switch off and to make a clear distinction between work life and home life. Then there are the regular distractions that occur almost every single day, noisy neighbours and a great feeling of being cut off from the world, especially the sun has been beating down on the world outside and a pandemic has meant that we would be a fool to bask in it.
Then there is the unspoken silence around the area of people's mental health and how they will handle the transition back to commutting, battling with mass crowds and struggling to get back into the swing of things. We will in fact share more posts to boost your mental health over on slaybabe.co.uk but until then, we thought it would be a great idea to provide an indepth overview of the practical steps you can implement to make the transition that more easier.
Adapting to a different work environment is a big transition. Use these suggestions to help you ease back into office life.
Reconfiguring Your Work Activities:
Make The Most Out Of Your Commute
Depending on how far you live from work, traveling to and from the office may use up a significant part of your day. If relocating is out of the question, maybe you can use the time to read, walk, or bike part of the way. If this is not an option, try you best to make the most of your commute time by writing your to-do list, reciting affirmations, listening to motivational and insighful podcasts or engaging with any activity that will advance you in one way or another. If by any chance upon starting to commute again, you realise that you don't actually want to work in your job any more and you want a change, head over to Jooble, where you can search for vacancies, all across the world wide web at a click of a button.
Get Back Into The Habit Of Talking Face To Face
Having more opportunities to collaborate and socialise is a major benefit of having coworkers around. Volunteer for group projects. Invite someone in your department out to lunch or join a friendly table in the break room. For the most part, you have been interacting with your colleagues via Zoom, Teams of Google Hangouts. Embrace the good old fashioned way of communicating face to face; one such way of communicating so many of us took for granted. Provide updates....
Maybe you’ve been diligent about reporting your progress or maybe you need to start letting others know what you’re doing. Either way, your boss and coworkers will appreciate information that let's them do their jobs more effectively too. Deal with distractions....
You may feel overwhelmed by background noise and colleagues dropping by. Consider noise cancelling headphones or limiting extended personal conversations to lunchtime and breaks. Create quiet time....
Do you have tasks that require silence and concentration? Designate certain hours to close your office doors and minimise interruptions. Stick to routines....
While you may have to change some things you did at home, there could be other daily habits that you can carry over into an office environment. Perform similar tasks in batches and designate specific times to check messages. Decorate your space....
If you’re feeling homesick, try to make your workspace feel cozier. Bring in your artwork or drawings by your kids. Display photos of family and pets.
Negotiate your hours....
You may be able to hold onto some working time at home depending on the reasons behind this transition.
If your company has a new CEO with a different philosophy, they’re unlikely to make an exception just for you. Otherwise, your boss may be open to letting you stay home at least part time.
Reconfiguring Your Personal Activities:
Enjoy more balance....
Another upside to commuting to work is that you may achieve healthier boundaries between your professional and personal life. Work files will be less likely to creep into your bedroom and disrupt your sleep. So many people have struggled to know when to cut off since working from home and have found themsleves working well into the night on work tasks. Returning back to work means that you Rethink your mornings....
On the other hand, you may miss your peaceful mornings or being able to sleep in. Find something that will motivate you to get out of bed with a smile, like a gourmet cup of coffee or taking a yoga class before work. Revise your budget.....
Be prepared for extra expenses that may come along with office hours. You might need to supplement your professional wardrobe and pay more for transportation and eating out. Divide chores....
If you’ve been taking on more chores while you’re around the house, your family may need to adjust too. Talk with your partner or call a family meeting to redistribute responsibilities.
Working at the office has its advantages, including building closer relationships and increasing your visibility. Maintaining a positive attitude will help you work out the details as you head back to the office.
W | By Women Who Slay @women_who_slay_