Making Your Return to Work Easy

We know that if you’ve been working remotely, or if you’ve been unemployed during these uncertain times, the prospect of returning to an in-person professional environment might seem overwhelming. But don’t panic! We’ve got ways to help you ease into that transition. Our focus today is on adopting a positive mental framework when it comes to returning to a normal pace at your workplace. You’re only human, so make sure you’re allowing yourself some flexibility amidst this change. The tips from the pros that we’ve assembled below will help you keep a sunny disposition that will impress any employer while bringing light to everyone who’s a part of your workplace community.

We love this suggestion from Alexandra Samuel at the Harvard Business Review: “Make work fun. Put your first week back to good use by doing neglected tasks you actually enjoy. I’m a productivity nerd, so (surprise!) my idea of fun is cleaning up my tech setup and adding to or improving the productivity tools in my toolkit. (The Apple app store always enjoys a little revenue bump the week I come back from vacation.)” We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again–you don’t have to try to tackle your goals alone! Let today’s technological innovations aid you even beyond working remotely by offering up a variety of fun productivity apps suited for any approach to conquering your to do list. Since you’re already looking at apps, we encourage you to consider getting ahold of some fun games, too! Finding joy and making time to have fun no matter where you are is a key element of maintaining a professional balance, which will also help keep you grounded as you make your way back into your workplace. 

Speaking of tackling your professional tasks, in discussing an extended break, Cheryl Lock at flexjobs offers up a suggestion you can use no matter how long you’ve been out of the office or out of work:  “Be gentle with yourself. Whatever vision you have for your return to work—whether you’re hoping to take it slow or jump right back into the fire—be as flexible as possible. Three months was a long time for me to be away, and I was expecting things to pick back up slowly over a matter of weeks, or perhaps even months. What actually happened, though, was that I received a ton of assignments all at once. While it was so exciting to know that my skills were still needed…I was surprised, and somewhat stressed, with all those impending deadlines. Instead of stressing completely, I paced myself, asked for deadline extensions where needed, and took a breath. Getting back to work after time off is bound to be stressful, so be sure to go easy on yourself.” A great way to be gentle with yourself while setting yourself up for career success is to break down your assignments into smaller, more manageable chunks. And writing out those steps is a great way to help you stay organized! Plus? There’s no better feeling than crossing off an item on your to do list–but to do that, you have to have a to do list! Let yourself take a moment to make one.

Find what fun you can find in returning to your work, even though it may feel difficult to do so amidst our current unprecedented circumstances. Even the darkest clouds have silver linings. Remember that you’re only human and that we’re all in this together. Try your hardest, but make sure to also remember that it’s okay to ask for help. Be gentle with yourself as you ease into the latest transition. Keep an open mind while remaining in the present as you consider upcoming transitions that may be approaching. And check our blog out again tomorrow for a midweek mood boost with our Wednesday Wellness: Return edition!

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.

This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston