How to Get Back into the Office Life Groove
As many of us are returning to working in an office, it can be challenging to get adjust back into your former groove. Getting ready might take a little longer, taking public transportation may be a little more stressful, and communicating face-to-face? Oh boy.
But don’t worry! We’ve put together some tips on how to ease back into your old routine!
Business Casual. This last year, most of us working from home were really able to cut out the business in our work attire. Leggings, sweatshirts, a baseball hat if you were feeling sporty—all comfy WFH clothes and not a pair of slacks in sight. Heading back into the office where you may have to return to dressing in a more “professional” way may seem exhausting, but don’t feel pressured to wear your power suit on Day 1! Easing into your old wardrobe will feel better as time goes on, and starting with a simple dress, pair of nice pants and a more comfortable top, or whatever you feel starts to bring business back to casual. Take it day by day, and if you find that pencil skirts and heels are not your style anymore, that’s totally okay!
Transportation. Not having to commute made it easier to get some extra sleep in the morning, and heading back to work will require some getting used to again. Try waking up a little bit earlier each day leading up to the return to work until you’re back to your normal wake-up time. Also, if you’re taking public transportation and haven’t done so in a while, try going a few stops on the train or bus and see how you feel. Being able to get more comfortable with transit before you go in for your first day back can cut your stress down tremendously.
Real People. Communicating with your coworkers, or just in groups in general may seem foreign to you now. Which is totally normal, having had limited contact with others for a longer period of time can shake our confidence a bit. You may not feel like making as many jokes, or getting all the juicy gossip like you did before you started working from home. You may feel like you’ve completely changed—but you haven’t. You’ll find your old groove, or a new one, in time. Try to enter conversations, but have an out if possible in case you begin to get overwhelmed.
