Going Back to Work After Quarantine? What you need to know to readjust.
What a time these last three months have been, right?!
It’s hard enough that we’ve all spent the last several months adjusting to life in quarantine. As humans, we all adjust a bit differently to change, and usually it’s not easy. And just as we’re getting used to this new “normal,” we’re being thrown the change of transitioning back to being out of the home. For many, this transition is a bit (or highly) daunting! Research shows that solidifying a habit takes, on average, 66 days. 66 days! Seems like a lot, until you think about how long quarantine has been in place in many areas. Basically, it means we’ve all had just enough time to REALLY get used to our new routines and make it really difficult to mix it up again.
Being proactive in your transition ahead of time can really help! If you know you’re imminently heading in the direction of change, take the time to evaluate where you sit and what you can do to make your change just a bit easier.
Unsure if you’re ready to jump back into the swing of things? Check out these five ways to help you readjust after quarantine (or any time)!
5 tips for readjusting
#1 Safety first.
If you’re going back to work, or back into the community, follow the steps or guidelines provided by your state or city health department. Wash your hands more than you think you need to. Keep your social distancing. Wear masks when required.
Still need a mask? Here are a couple online places to try:
#2 Cut yourself some slack
Socializing might feel extremely draining right now. Talking to people (even those we love!) takes energy … a lot of it! As much as we all want to jump headfirst into every invite, now that homes and businesses are opening up, it’s a good idea to balance your social time with some quiet time. Maybe don’t book the BBQ and the big grocery trip in the same day. If you feel yourself checking out when someone’s talking, acknowledge it, apologize, and try again! After an exhausting day chatting it up with the neighbor (or the grocery cashier), come home and take five minutes to think about how you feel.
You might find that your emotional energy is used up much faster than you expect.
#3 Reassess your environment.
Did you go back to the office (or your home office), sit down,and everything just felt “off”? Almost like you went back in time to a place you think you might have been a very long time ago, or read about in a book? You are not alone Take a few minutes and reset. Remove anything you don’t need off your desk (your desk calendar is probably still set back in March!), move things around, bring in items you’ve been using regularly, and sanitize the area (or dust!). Hang up a new picture of something (or someone) that’s brought you joy during the last few months.
Need help keeping yourself focused? Click here
#4 Be gracious.
Regardless of how you might be feeling, it’s okay! Odds are, if you’re mad, sad, glad, stressed, jealous, infuriated, embarrassed, or any feeling on the emotional wheel (or all of them!), someone else is likely feeling the same way. Now is the time to be gracious with not only your own feelings, but those around you as well. You never know what someone is going through, and just because they’re smiling or grumpy or seem okay, that may not mean they actually are. Check up on your people, people. Check in with yourself. Ask the guy walking down the street how his day is going. Be a touchstone for those feelings you didn’t even know you had.
#5 Keep your new (better for you) habits.
Cooking at home, maybe doing workouts in the living room (walking the block and your stairs counts!), calling your loved ones a little more frequently, and likely saving a few pennies in the process on food, transportation, and gym fees… just because quarantine is becoming less of an obstacle doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep doing some of the solid new habits you’ve picked up! Keep that savings growing!
Whatever your environment looks like now, we hope you’re able to make the most of it, be kind and caring, and move forward (even inch by inch) in the direction you’re hoping to go.
Are you adjusting to going back to work? Wearing a mask more often? Still working from home? What does your situation look like? Share with us in the comments below!
