SIX RETURN-TO-WORK TIPS

1. Be compassionate with yourself, and others.

The shift to working from home was sudden, and that kind of change was psychologically unsettling and negative for some people.

Combined with fear and uncertainty about the future, and restrictions on freedom, autonomy and connecting with loved ones and colleagues, many of us experienced tremendous grief, sorrow and loss.

• Acknowledge the journey. Face the last 24 months of your life with compassion and empathy. Consider how you and your circumstances have changed. What was good? What was bad? Which elements of ‘the good’ would you like to keep?
• We’re still in this together. A wonderful benefit of lockdown work was shared humanity. While Zooming in on our colleagues and clients, we peeked into the people behind the titles: children running around, dogs barking, cats vying for screen space, lawnmowers going and doorbells ringing. We saw the ‘fully human’ in each other, and that has given us more grace and understanding.

2. Be smart about your time and energy, and set realistic expectations.

If a commute is part of your return to the office, you might feel overwhelmed about having less time each day. Plan a way around that, and do it well ahead of time. 

• Work smarter, not harder. Focus on the projects, teams, activities and people that need your energy and input. How can you organise your time effectively? What can you let go of, or change, in order to make your day work for YOU, rather than the other way around? Be bold about setting boundaries – and if you need help, ask.
• Same game, different rules. If you’re returning to in-person work, understand what it will look like. Companies are taking different approaches, but one thing’s certain: we’re not going back to what it was pre-pandemic. There’ll be limitations on how people interact, so lunch break and meeting spaces might work very differently.
• Another important consideration is vaccination. Not everyone will choose to be vaccinated.
• Get real. Prepare ahead of time by asking questions: what’s my new work reality going to look like? Any new rules and restrictions? Where can I get the information that I need? Before your first day back, imagine the situation to allow a mental adjustment.

3. Establish a new routine (and wake up early enough to do it!).

Working from home, you’ve probably mastered the art of hopping onto Zoom at the last minute. The thought of a morning routine might seem like a distant (and perhaps, unpleasant) memory.

• Think about how you can bridge your current routine with the one you need.
• Figure out what time you need to wake up and what support you need at home.
• Start practising your new routine – baby steps! Get up an hour earlier than usual, for example, and dress more formally (wave goodbye to tracksuit pants).

• Re-awaken old habits. Give yourself time to prepare meals if you need to bring lunch to work, or to pick out and iron work clothes that haven’t left your cupboard in so long.
• If your workplace is taking a staggered approach to staffing, try to partner with someone you know well, and like – it will ease you back into the social side of things.
• Plan a well-defined schedule that potentially match up with your colleagues. Otherwise, you run the risk of going back to the office but still feeling alone.

4. Set your boundaries.

Working from home blurred a lot of boundaries. When you’re sitting at a makeshift desk in your bedroom or kitchen, it can be difficult to separate work from home.

Shifting back to the office gives you the chance to set boundaries in terms of availability, communication and when and where you work. For example: do you want to turn off your emails at certain times? Will you still be available after hours, or not?

Think about what works best for your productivity and mental health and share these findings with your employer and colleagues.

Suddenly being around a lot of people again could be a shock to the system. If you’re returning full-time, and not in phases, try these tips:

• Get away from the screen regularly

• Have a sensory break
• Step outside and close your eyes - breathe, stretch or meditate. 

5. When you reconnect with people, remember that they’ve also been through a lot.

Socialising is an important aspect of work, but it can be a source of anxiety. After more than a year conversing with colleagues through screens, you may be worried about social etiquette.

• We need to think about hugs versus elbow bumps and consider people’s differing levels of comfort with contact.
• We need space for conversations around how people want to reconnect, how much or how little.

Everyone has experienced the pandemic differently, and some are excited to return to work. So how can you handle this when you’re anxious?

Someone who is already struggling shouldn’t have to constantly advocate for themselves, and this is why a compassionate workplace is essential.

• Sometimes it may be necessary to make yourself heard and speak up for what you require.
• Those who are excited should be mindful, ask questions and make space for people who are anxious.
• No matter where you are on the excitement spectrum, keep in mind what people have been through. Your colleagues may have lost someone or seen a family member become disabled because of long COVID, or they themselves may be struggling with recovery in ways that are invisible.
• Take some time to check in with people, because that’s going to show up in their work life in some way.
• Some people aren’t going to be happy, some people are still grieving, and some people are still losing people. Let’s not forget that.

6. Prepare to take care of your mental health.

It’s totally normal to plan for anxiety — after all, we do this all the time for important events, such as weddings and births.

• Pin down a date to return to the office, have an internal conversation about how you’re feeling, and talk to people about it.
• Free-floating anxiety (feelings of discomfort, nervousness, worry and anxiety that appears for seemingly no reason) is worse than specific worries.
• Write down your specific worries and use the formal channels to discuss them.
• It is easy to increase fear and anxiety through office gossip and this can quickly  trigger resentment and anger.
• Having an anchor date is grounding, so it’s not sudden or unknown. Asking yourself questions helps you attend to your feelings and adapt to the stressors.
• For example, if you identify that you’re anxious about attending a meeting, this might mean planning to sit at the back of the room.
• Talking to others — gathering a community — will give you support for managing your anxiety.

You are not alone

If you find it difficult to manage the transition back to work:

• Talk to colleagues and with your team to encourage and support each other.
• Speak to a counsellor: access the Wellness@MandelaUniversity Wellbeing Programme at info@wellwork.co.za or phone the Care Centre on 0800205333.