During the pandemic, you were probably feeling safe working at home. You did not need to worry about contracting the COVID-19 virus only speaking to people through a phone or computer. It is important to remember that the anxiety you feel is worse than reality and head into the office feeling confident about what the day will bring.
Notice Your Emotional State
Remember that it is okay not to be okay. Resist having to put on a brave face if that is not how you feel. While you should not dwell on your anxiety, acknowledge all of your emotions as legitimate. Do not let your fears consume you from your work. You can master your emotions by being self-aware of what you feel and tuning into any emotions you are feeling.
Prevent Short-term Stress From Leading to a Downward Spiral
Stress can come with physical symptoms like a clenched jaw, headaches, shoulder or back pain, shallow breathing, chest tightness, or fidgeting. The faster you can identify the stress signals you are exhibiting, the quicker you can intervene.
Try meditation, as you can do it anywhere and with no tools. Notice where you feel tight in your body and do some deep breathing in your spot at the office. Actively stretch out or relax that part of your body. You can also engage in meditation practice in the morning to re-center yourself before you head to the office.
Spread Positive Emotions
Optimism and joy can be just as contagious as being fearful. Make a conscious decision to be a positive source of energy with your team. For example, you can encourage your team to talk about what they have missed most due to the pandemic at the start of the day. Find fun and light-hearted ways to laugh about the transition of going back to the office as well as the frustrations.
You can even create a forum for your team to do online of their office mishaps returning to work or have a funny mask day weekly. If you have a good relationship with your employees, you will not feel too anxious to return to work. It is important to know that anxiety tends to make reality seem worse than it is. By going to work filled with confidence and checking in with yourself, anxiety will not affect your work performance.
Anxiety can make it hard to return to the office when you are used to working at home. Returning to the office can lead to the constant worries of contracting COVID-19. It is important to spread office positivity and to continue checking in with yourself daily while at work. At Alta Loma, we understand your fears of jumping back into work during this ongoing pandemic. Our transformative treatment centers will provide you with individualized therapy, coping skills education, and more to get you back on track. Give us a call at (886) 457-3843 to learn more.
