5 Tips for Managing Stress and Anxiety When Returning to Work
Your mindset is important and it has more power than you may think. Learning tips for managing stress is crucial for any situation; especially in the workplace.
For the past few weeks, many employees have worked where they wanted to. They’ve worked at home. They’ve worked in coffee shops and libraries. They’ve worked with family members around or with friends.
However, 2022 has called for the great return to work where many businesses are bringing their employees back into the office. This looks different for everyone. Some companies are going hybrid, while others are bringing their staff back into the office five days a week.
If you are one of those people, you might be feeling stressed out. You now have a new routine to learn, new people to meet, and you have to say goodbye to the comforts of your home office. The good news is you aren’t the only one feeling this way and there’s ways to start managing your stress and seeing the positives.
1. Address what it is that you’re nervous about. The first step to managing stress and anxiety is determining what it is that’s creating these feelings. Are you feeling nervous about your commute or seeing coworkers again? Maybe you’re anxious about having to meal prep or figuring out your new schedule.
Take some time to breath and really think about what it is that’s creating feelings of discomfort about returning to work.
2. Start your day with something calming or positive. The way you start and end your day is imperative to managing stress. Do you love sitting on your front porch with a cup of tea? Do you have a favorite song that will brighten your mood when you hear it? Do you feel energized after a run?
You know yourself best, so choose to do something that makes you happy! When you start your day on a high note, it sets the tone for the rest of the day.
3. Create a routine. For many people, the fear of the unknown is what creates anxiety for them. When you were working from home, you had your own routine and now you are about to make some big changes to your workday. So, plan ahead! Start small by planning what you’re doing for lunch on your first day back. Whether you decide to meal prep and BYO or whether you make plans with a coworker to grab lunch at a restaurant down the street.
If you know what to expect from your day – or at least one or two things to expect – you create stability and things you can lean on when you’re feeling anxious.
4. Communicate with your team. Another step to creating a routine and knowing what to expect is to simply ask! Talk to your manager or other members of your team about what things will look like when you return to the office. Where will your desk or office be? What is the work attire? Who else is coming back to the office?
If there are questions or worries in your mind, don’t feel like you have to suppress them. Use your voice to put yourself into a more comfortable situation by communicating.
5. Give yourself time to adjust. Feelings of stress and anxiety are completely normal in this situation. 40 hours of your week are about to look completely different and there is a lot of new to get used to. So, give yourself a break and set an expectation for yourself that it’s going to take time and things will get easier the more you get to being back in the office.
Returning to the office may even be great for you and could be something to be excited about! Offices that are in coworking spaces offer all the comforts of home, without the distractions. Some have relaxation rooms, coffee bars, and are filled with creative, intellectual people that want to network with you. Those are three things your home office doesn’t have!
Managing stress and anxiety about returning to work might not be as hard as it seems, right?
