Adjusting to the New Normal in the Office
After several weeks of working from home, many businesses are asking their employees to return to the office as states begin reopening. If you’re worried about getting used to going to the office again, here are a few tips to help you adjust:
Ask about the schedule in advance
Many businesses may implement adjusted hours or staggered shifts as a way to transition more smoothly. Ask your boss or manager in advance about the schedule so that you aren’t caught by surprise.
Get back into an appropriate routine
Once you ask about the schedule, it’s important to consider what your new routine will be like. Whether your work hours will be the same as before or not, decide what time you’ll need to wake up and go to sleep each day. Start easing yourself into this schedule ahead of schedule to reduce the amount of change happening at once.
Think about the advantages of returning
You’re probably focusing on the negatives around returning to the office, especially if you realized that you prefer working from home. However, having a negative mindset will only make the transition harder. Think about the benefits of returning. It could be something as simple as finally being able to check to see if your office plant survived or being able to take your home office setup off your kitchen table. Either way, finding advantages will help you become more willing to transition.
Take mental breaks and be easy on yourself
If you’re having a difficult time adjusting to being back in the office, don’t give yourself a hard time about it. That’ll only make the transition more difficult. When you’re feeling overwhelmed in the office, step away from your desk for a few minutes and maybe grab coffee or walk around the building to take a bit of a mental break.
Just as getting used to working from home took time, going back to the office will some adjustment time, but hopefully these tips will help the change go more smoothly. However, these ideas can also be helpful when starting a new job. If you’re looking for a new position, we’d love to be AtWork for YOU! Visit AtWork.com/locations to find a location near you!
