Transitioning back to work after lock-down

In the coming weeks, as lock-down restrictions loosen, companies around the world will begin resuming physical office work. While some of us may be eager to get out of our houses, a good number of people are feeling anxious and it is normal. A survey by PwC showed that 70% of over 1,000 workers said there are several factors preventing them from wanting to resume physical office work, with 51% citing fear of getting sick as their major concern. So if you are feeling the same, you aren’t alone.

As I have resumed physical office work after 5 months, sharing my top 'transitioning back to work' tips for anyone else walking into the same situation during these unprecedented times.

Monitor Your Anxiety:

You may feel inclined to hide your anxiety about coming back to work. It might be hard to gather confidence, enthusiasm, and positivity in the face of so much unknown. I have been there too. The discomfort you are feeling, the concerns you are having-stay on top of how you acknowledge and address them. Mismanaged anxiety can lead to unwanted consequences. So it is important to find someone to talk to about it. Be it your line manager, someone from HR, colleague or a family member.

Patience and Flexibility:

This unprecedented situation with its changing conditions and implications will require your workplace to adapt the new normal through many trial-and-error. Manage your expectations with patience and flexibility so that each time something changes, you do not become irritated or nervous. It is a positive sign when organizations are open to changes. Until we learn and adjust to what does and doesn’t work to keep people safe and productive at workplace, we all will need extra measures of empathy and agility. So accept the changes and trust that things will get better and easier as everyone learns together.

Talk and Connect:

Have a return-to-work conversation with your line manager to identify work priorities and raise any concerns that you have. Aside from work, converse and connect with people. It will help ease you up to adopt the new normal and kick start your transition.

Plan and Prepare:

This will help you settle down. Plan your daily schedule and follow through. This will make you feel more in control. Take small breaks when things get overwhelmed. I do that too. Resuming the physical office work and adopting the changes can sometimes get on nerves. I practice inhale-exhale meditation to keep my mind calm and focused.

Manage Expectations:

The threat of the Coronavirus has and will change the workplace so profoundly that there will be more new implications in the coming days. So we need to keep on adjusting. Do not expect everything to return to normal so quickly. We have a long way to evolve. So take things one step at a time.

We all are finding own means to cope with the new normal and things might not always go as per plan. So it is important to be kind to yourself and others as we all are in the journey of finding our ways.