Some people spent quite a bit of time at the home office, setting up new rituals and a daily routine. Our brains don't like to change anything, so we can feel higher levels of stress, anxiety and fear of going back to the office. Try to imagine that it is similar to when children return to school after the holidays. Some are afraid, some are looking forward. So if you are not exactly thrilled with your physical return to work, I will give you some tips on how you can make it easier.
When you work from home five days a week for a long time, suddenly five days in the office is a big leap. Try to start going to work from the beginning for one, two days and gradually add.
For example, some people love the way to and from work. They meet their acquaintances, talk, buy their favorite donut, just sit and watch from the train window, listen to the radio in the car, read a piece of a book or newspaper on the bus. Others are looking forward to being able to dress nicely, see a favorite colleague, go to lunch, coffee, and informal events together. Everyone can find something good.
Focusing on the positive aspects can be a great way to manage anxiety, work out a transition period, and have something to look forward to.
Sometimes it helps if you realize and write down what annoys you at work. Think about whether you can change that. And if so, tell yourself what you personally will do to make it better. If not, learn to accept things as they are. Why bother with something you can't change anyway?
You feel stress and anxiety best in your body. Pay attention to him. Learn breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, meditation and move. If you know all this and you know that it is good for you, then please do it. And be kind to each other, because any change is difficult for the psyche, so stress and anxiety are a bit part of it. If you are not well and have already tried everything possible, do not be afraid to consult an experienced psychologist.
Realize everything you've done in your life. And write it down. Really. It makes a big difference whether you have thoughts in your head or on paper. Then feel free to say to yourself, "Once I have mastered it then, I can also make it back to the office!" This is the form of my favorite "mantra", which I like and often use for myself.
The author of the article is a psychologist, lecturer and coach Radek Loja, whom you can meet at our Personal Development or Presentation Skills courses:
She leads comprehensive personal development courses, coaches, provides counseling in the field of psychology, writes articles. She is the author and co-author of the books:
- Emotions under control - 5 steps to managing emotions (Grada 2019)
- How to gain success, peace and serenity in a hectic present (Grada 2017)
She graduated in
- psychology at UPOL´s Faculty of Psychology
- the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at ČVUT
She used to work at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young.
