Good news! Restrictions are being rolled back as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decrease. In the NY metropolitan area, more teachers and students have returned to the classroom and employers are beginning to allow more employees to return to their office. Some companies are now sending out notices letting their employees know when they are EXPECTED to return. All good; right? Well, the feelings of excitement and relief may also be accompanied with worry.
Many people have spent the last 15 months sheltering in place and working from home. They have had their groceries delivered, shopped only online and had little to no physical contact with people outside their immediate household. When they did venture outside their homes, they were careful to wear a mask and follow all the safety guidelines. Video chatting was the primary form of communicating with others. I have several clients who are newly employed at their companies and they have not had the opportunity to meet their co-workers in person. That has been the new “normal” and a new “Comfort Zone” was created. Now that “Comfort Zone” is about to change and for some they will be entering an “Uncomfortable Zone”. We can anticipate some uneasiness as we begin to re-enter situations with others but creating a plan will help. Some “long haulers” may be returning to work with continued physical and cognitive symptoms which may impact their work performance. What can you do to help yourself and others with the transition? Following are some suggestions.
- Identify the date you will begin your transition and create a list of things that will be impacted. For example, will your morning alarm need to be adjusted? Will you need to schedule daycare? Do you need to purchase a parking pass/bus ticket? Create a schedule of when you will complete the TO Do’s in preparation for your return. Begin to set your alarm for the new time so that your body can begin to adjust to the change. Be sure to allow for 7-8 hours of sleep per night to allow for maximum brain function.
- Identify what you will need in your office space to feel comfortable and bring those items with you. For example, you may want to keep extra masks or wipes at your desk.
- Identify any work behaviors that may have changed since going virtual. For example, if you adjusted your hours to start earlier and end earlier or vice versa, how will you accommodate to the required work hours? Are there any systems that you created that you need to transition to the office? Are there any work behaviors that may need to be modified? An example may be taking frequent, short breaks throughout the day that will be frowned upon in the office.
- Identify stress management techniques that you have found effective and think about you can transition them into the office with you. You can create visual reminders or plug them into your daily schedule.
- Set realistic expectations for yourself and others. There will likely be some bumps in the road as everyone returns to the office and manages the demands related to commuting, etc. while also trying to feel comfortable in the same space as others. Be patient both with yourself and others. Recognize that transitions take time and comfort will increase with repeated behavior.
- Recognize that everyone has had different experiences and therefore may have different opinions about the events over the past 15 months and the return to work. The best choice may be to limit that topic of conversation and stay focused on less emotional topics.
If you are experiencing cognitive issues related to be a “long hauler” and would like some suggestions on how to manage these symptoms or if you would like to discuss your personal needs related to your work situation, please contact me at 732-977-7381 or doreen@thecognitivecoach.net