9 Tips for Smooth Back to the Office

You may be a little nervous about going back to the office after the pandemic. You may have questions and concerns about safety measures and all. Don’t shy away from expressing them. When your office asks you to come back, they will surely inform you of any new policy or instructions. In case they don’t, feel free to ask. You can directly talk to your employer or contact HR. Even after you reach the office, if you have any issues with the seating arrangements or common spaces, discuss them.

It is not easy to change your habits overnight. You have been working from home for the past many months. You might have created a workspace. If changing the habits, leaving your workspace and shifting your work life to the office seems hard for you, don’t rush things. Instead, go for a soft launch. What is a soft launch? Good to see you are already applying trick number 1! Well, here soft launch means changing things slowly and steadily instead of doing it all at once. Here is an example of soft-launching. Don’t go to the office on all working days. For the first week, go to the office for two or three days and work on the rest from home. As the weeks go by, slowly increase the number of days working from the office. This way, you will get plenty of time to change your habits.

When you worked from home, you mostly worked alone. Yes, you did talk to your family and friends, but not all the time. When you work from the office, things are going to be different. Especially if you work in a team, you will have to communicate with them. Remember, talking to someone on the phone and talking to someone in person is different. If you are in the middle of a task or have an urgent deadline, it is easy to not pick up a call or reply to a text when you are at home. But in the office, when someone comes to talk to you, you can’t just say no on their face. If you can’t talk to them at that very time, let them know politely. Also, remember to go and talk to them once you can.

Yes, when you work as a part of a team, you have to work according to the team’s tasks. Also, when you have a deadline, you must work and finish on time. But to make your home to office shift smooth, you have to work at your own pace. This is what you can do. If you are not comfortable with a particular timeline, talk to your team members and see if you can get a little more time or if not, then see if anyone can help you out. It is better to ask for help than stressing over work and losing your peace of mind.

Wake up, get freshens up, have breakfast and then sit for work. This was your routine when you worked from home. But, things will not be the same when you return to the office. You will have to get ready and then reach the office. Obviously, you will have to wake earlier. But what can make things easier for you is to get things done in advance. Prepare the previous night instead of the morning before going to work. Pack your office bag, iron the clothes and decide what lunch you will be taking. So, the next morning you can wake up tension-free, just dress up and leave for work.

It is okay to have boundaries! If you are comfortable with certain boundaries, don’t feel guilty about them. If you are not ready to sit in a common space during lunch, that’s okay. Let your colleagues know politely. If you want to maintain a six-foot distance, it is the perfect time to do so! Also, if you feel that you will work better with headphones on, go ahead and put the headphones on!

We know it has been a tough time. And things are not always easy. You may struggle but you don’t need to make yourself feel bad about it. If you face difficulty in coping up with the work pressure or socialising with people, give yourself a little time. Take breaks and focus on the positive aspects. Even if it is your first day working from the office, you have already taken a step forward. Tell yourself that you can do it. And do praise even the small achievements!

As we care for our bodies, we need to take care of our minds. And for that, don’t hesitate to ask for professional help. Whether you are having difficulty communicating or things are stressful, there are professionals who can help you out. At times, sharing your troubles with your loved ones helps too. All you gotta do is reach out.

Just like you, your colleagues have also gone through a tough time. Just like you, they might be having trouble shifting to the office. So, just like you take care of yourself, you need to be thoughtful about others. Once you do so, once you try to be patient, you can see things more clearly. When you see that you are not alone in this, when you have empathy for others, it will be easier to paddle through.

Try to apply these tricks when you go back to the office after lockdown. And remember, shifting to working from the office may be a little difficult, but you can definitely do it!