Tips For Managing Back To Work Anxiety After Lockdown

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If there was one ‘good’ thing (relatively speaking, of course) to come out of being in lockdown and, for many, having to work from home rather than going out to the office each day, it was that there was a chance to regroup, gather our thoughts, and decide what we really wanted to do. This meant significant changes for some workers and/or parents, but for others, this slowed down way of working cemented the idea that they were in the right place, doing the right thing. In other words, they loved their job. 

With this in mind, now that many workplaces are starting to open up again – permanently this time, we can only hope – those who didn’t enjoy working from home and who have decided they are doing what they want to do might be getting ready to start the daily commute once more. However, they might also be a little – or a lot – anxious about going back to work after lockdown. After all, a lot has changed, and the world is not as safe as it once was. Read on to find out how to manage this anxiety so your return to work can be a much simpler one. 

What Precautions Are In Place? 

The most important thing to find out before you go back into the workplace is what precautions are now in place in your office. There should certainly be some new processes in place, including social distancing, wearing masks indoors, and even using COVID 19 testing in your workplace regularly to ensure everyone is healthy. 

Speak to your employer or manager before you go back so that you are prepared in advance for the changes you’re about to see. Find out what the new rules are so that there are no surprises. When you know what you’re coming up against, your anxiety will be reduced, and when you know that your workplace is taking precautions and is therefore safe, it will be reduced even more. 

Start Slowly 

Changing from working in an office to working from home was something that seemingly happened overnight. At least, that’s how it felt; there wasn’t much time to prepare, and no one really knew how long it was all going to last. This would have caused a lot of people plenty of anxiety until they got used to things, and it all started to run a lot more smoothly. 

To avoid the sudden change from working remotely to being back in the office to make you feel the same as it did the first time, albeit the other way around, see if you can start slowly. Try working in the office two days a week and staying at home for three days, and gradually build up the time you spend out of the house. It will be an adjustment, but soon enough it will feel completely normal, just as it did before, even with the restrictions in place. 

Know Who To Speak To

If you find that you are feeling anxious once you return to work and you can’t seem to get used to things, it’s crucial to know who to speak to within your workplace. Ideally, you will have a manager you can talk to who will be able to help you, but if not, make sure you speak to colleagues – you may find that others are feeling the same way as you. 

Talking about your fears is an excellent way to deal with them. You’ll either discover there is nothing to worry about, or you can work as a team to solve the issue together.