The Hardest Lesson 2021 Taught Me

For many of us, 2021 was one heck of a year. I don’t know about you, but I felt like 2021 had me on an emotional rollercoaster. At times it was hard to stay focused on my career goals and take bold steps toward achieving career success. 2021 taught me that if emotions are left unchecked and uncared for, this can create a recipe for disaster. And now with the New Year in full swing, I’m looking forward to all that 2022 will bring. I have written this blog post for anyone who wants to achieve career success in 2022. But is still feeling emotionally vulnerable after a difficult 2021. We want you to #ThriveNotSurvive in the New Year.

What the New Normal Will Look Like in 2023

For many of us, 2022 will mean we will be heading back to our offices after many months of working from home. Just thinking about this might be spiking a whole range of emotions in you from anxiety to anticipation. Going back to the office is a moment of major transition. And a huge shift in our work patterns, social lives and what we have come to expect as the new normal. Even if you are returning to the same job lots may have changed and you, of course, have changed too. Transition and change puts us on high alert and this can be mentally and emotionally draining. Think, for example, about when you first started your job and how draining those first few weeks and months were. This is because our bodies need time to adjust to changes in our surroundings. Our emotions need time to adjust to new demands placed upon us as well. It is absolutely ok to feel anxious or unsure about heading back to the office after a year of working from home. Going from mainly working solo at home to being surrounded by people is a major transition that may take some time to get used to.

Doing This One Thing Helps Me to Process My Feelings

Mentally and emotionally, we are programmed to seek stability and security so anything new can be a challenge. Changes to your work environment, your roles and responsibilities at work, or even changes within your teams can throw us off emotionally. However you are feeling about heading back into the office, take time to acknowledge these feelings. Being aware of how you feel, and accepting these feelings, can help you to support yourself through this time of change. If you’re not sure how you are feeling about this transition then take some time to journal your thoughts. Putting pen to paper can help to get our thoughts and feelings out. And also alert us to what support systems we need to put in place. I love journaling and have done so for years. I personally found this hardcover vegan leather journal from Beechmore to be extremely helpful when trying to get my thoughts out onto paper.

How to Transition Back to the Office, Successfully

For some of us, one of the most anxiety-provoking experiences we faced in 2021 was constantly not knowing what to expect. Suddenly a simple task, like food shopping, became something we needed to think about and prepare for.  It is very important that we can head into situations at work understanding what to expect and knowing what is expected of us. It is also ok to ask this question of your managers and employers. In fact, your managers should provide this information. As well as being forthcoming about any new changes and how they may impact you and your work. Check out this blog post about the 10 most important things your manager must do in 2022 to support you at work.  Additionally if creating structure is important to you, as is understanding how to transition back into the office. One of the ways to smooth your transition is to get a grip of how things have changed and what to expect. Things to check out may be the desk arrangements and changes to company policies. Or even things like wearing face masks while working and arrangements for lunch and socialising at work. You should also feel confident to raise any concerns you have about arrangements at your office. Doing so should help to calm some of the anxiety you may be feeling about heading back to the office after COVID.

Simple Remote Working Hacks That Work

I remember when office workers were encouraged to work remotely, one of the major challenges people faced was how to structure their day. I talked with so many workers about the impact remote working was having on their mental health. To provide support, I wrote this helpful blog post about working from home and struggling with your mental health. However, going back into the office in the New Year and or facing work changes also forces us to make changes in how we structure our day. The key is finding balance and clearly defining what balance means for you and your current situation.

This One Habit Can Actually Make You More Productive

Being back in a busy office environment, when you have been used to home working, can be a bit of a shock to the system. Suddenly your day involves socialising and meeting with many more people. This alone can leave us feeling frazzled at the end of the day. To counteract this, try and find some time in the day when you can be alone and unwind. Now is the time to make sure you take your lunch break at a specific time each day, and perhaps to get out of the office for a walk. Not only will this give your body a chance to unwind, but it is also likely to make you more productive in the afternoons too.  You might also consider blocking out some of your evenings for alone time in the early weeks of being back in the office. The temptation for many of us is to pack our schedules with meetups and socialising, but you may need a more relaxed schedule as you adjust. Assume that your early weeks back in the office after COVID could be tiring and plan your schedule accordingly. If you then have extra energy or find it easier than expected you can book some last-minute meetups with friends.

How to Hold on to Your Job Satisfaction

There may have been aspects of working from home that you loved. Perhaps you found that you were more productive without the interruptions. Maybe you were able to use the time saved from not commuting to develop a hobby. Or even work on more creative aspects of your job or come up with ideas for future projects.  Perhaps you just found it easier to be kinder to yourself in the home environment. Giving yourself a break from the screen or taking your lunch break to do something you enjoyed. Whatever perks you discovered while working from home, try and hold onto them as you transition back into the office. It will be important to make a real effort to make space for these things.  You could block out some time in your calendar every morning for that project you have loved working on or schedule in some time free from email interruptions? As you maintain what has been life-giving to you in the last year your mental health will benefit. This will help you to create a sense of satisfaction in your working life.

Summary

Change is never easy, even when making changes can bring about some positive results, change can be difficult to face. Try to dwell on the positives of getting back into the office and make room for yourself when you feel overwhelmed. And remember many of your colleagues are likely to be feeling anxious about changes too. Why not send this article over to them, it would make it easier to discuss how you are feeling. ​

Join the Community

So how about you? How are you feeling about heading back into the office? Do you have any of your own tips for heading back into the office after COVID? We’d love to hear them in the comments below. Help us reach professional workers everywhere by sharing this post.  Join our growing community and get more information, great content and freebies by subscribing to our newsletter.

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