Following latest government guidance, many people have been heading back into the office in the last couple of weeks and whether you prefer ditching the commute or love the social aspect of work, it can be an adjustment for us all.
There are many different factors that may influence your thoughts and feelings, but it is important to recognise these and work on different approaches to overcome them. We have rounded up some top tips to support you in going back to work.
1: Prepare, prepare, prepare
One of the most difficult things about going back into the office for many people is the commute. Therefore, our first tip is to prepare properly. There are so many things you can get done the night before work like packing your bag, making your lunch, getting out your breakfast and even laying out your outfit for the day.
All these things can save you time in the morning, meaning you don’t have to get up quite as early and can prevent you running around like a headless chicken, trying to get your affairs in order.
On the other hand, if you used to thrive off a structured morning routine, then why not start trying to get back into it. You could even start on a weekend and test out timings so you are ready for the week ahead. Making a list of morning priorities could be a good way to start, whether that includes moving, journaling, taking a mindful minute or even a very advanced skin care routine.
2: Accept & adapt
It can be hard to accept that you are no longer going to have the spare time you used to have! Maybe you used to love your lunchtime walk or that early dinner with a friend, but although we are asking you to accept that you won’t have as much time, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still do the things you enjoy.
The second part of this tip is to adapt. If getting out for a walk was something you loved, could you leave your office and do the same thing? It may actually be nice to see some different views. Maybe you work from home two days a week, why not do an extra-long walk on those days to compensate. If your missing being able to make early plans after work, can you try and meet your friends somewhere on your commute home to stop off for dinner. Or even take turns to visit each other’s house to make it easier on the other.
What’s important to remember is although life may change slightly, there are always ways to do the things you love, as long as you prioritise those things and are willing to mix it up a little.
3: Remember how you work best
Our final tip is to remember the way you work well and try and replicate that in the office. For example, if you found that having a 5-minute break every hour makes you more productive, speak to your manager and ask if there was a way to work this into your office schedule.
If you now struggle with silence after the buzz of working from home, could you replicate this sound with a podcast? Again, it’s always best to speak to your manager about this first, but hopefully if you work hard and produce good results they will try and accommodate your wishes and support you on your transition back to office life.
We hope some of our tips will help you get back into the swing of things and wish you the best of luck in the office.