It’s finally time to return to the office. Office life has its charm, something most of us have missed in the past year. Meeting colleagues, action-filled commutes, or just the work desk where you focus solely on your job, there is so much we haven’t done in a while.
But with the offices opening up, it seems like the time to go back to normal is finally here! Having adjusted to working from home with the hustle-bustle and all sorts of distractions, going back to the office seems like a taxing task.
So, how do you prepare to go back to your regular office life after being at home through the pandemic? We are here to answer this question for you.
In this blog, we will discuss 5 simple tips that will help you ease into your work shoes as you get ready to return to the office.
1. Give your wardrobe a makeover
The one thing no one seems to mind about working from home is the work clothes. From wearing formal shirts over pajamas to getting ready 5 minutes before the meeting- we have done it all.
Since our clothes have the power to boost our confidence, it is crucial to give your wardrobe the much-needed makeover.
Before getting started with regular office life, go shopping and get some nice work clothes for yourself to feel fresh and confident. This will benefit and help you fight the back-to-work-blues
2. Manage your sleep schedule
As you prepare to return to the office, the first thing you need to establish is your sleep schedule. Some of us got used to working at night while others follow the regular schedule. Remote work allowed everyone to work flexibly, making returning to normal life a little difficult.
Managing a sleep schedule may seem trivial, but it is an important aspect of our life.
Before you decide to step into work, make sure you have sorted your sleep schedule well in advance. Here’s what you can do to improve your sleep cycle:
1. Identify your body clock
Our body clocks have seen a massive shift in the past year. With the offices opening again, it is time to restore the same. Identify your current body clock and try to sync it with your office hours.
Since you need to get an 8-hour nap, make sure you are ready for bed 10 hours before you have to leave for work. This will give you enough time to sleep and get ready for the day.
Simple things like eating dinner early, staying hydrated, logging out of social media in the evening can go a long way in establishing a suitable sleep schedule before you return to work.
2. Tap out of your phone
It is proven that using mobile phones excessively can cause loss of sleep. The blue light from cell phones is harmful to the eyes, and the constant availability of fresh content can keep your mind curious and awake through the night, affecting your body’s overall alertness.
So, it’s time to ditch your phone before bed, and here’s how you can do it:
- Decide a cut off time to use the phone; For example, if you have decided to sleep at 10 pm, make sure you stop using your phone by 9:30 pm.
- Make sure you don’t sleep with your phone around you. This will help you avoid distractions that may disturb your sleep
- Restrict your screen time in the display section of your phone settings or use apps like MicroBreaks
3. Make a new schedule
Returning to the office means having to change the complete schedule. Controlling your sleep schedule is impossible unless you reconstruct your routine from scratch.
So, make a new schedule and set a time for all your activities throughout the day. From waking up in the morning to your workouts, lunch, dinner, and other crucial activities, assign a particular time to it all. This takes us to our next point.
3. Plan your new routine
If you think getting habitual to work from home is hard, going back to the office will not be an easy feat either. One of the best ways to prepare to return to the office is to plan your day around your current activities.
With WFH, you could join a meeting at 9 am, even if you woke up at 8:50 am. As we go back to our regular life, it would be helpful to assign a set time to do certain activities.
Here are some things you can do to build your new routine:
- Decide a time to wake up and sleep
- Save 8 hours for sleep
- List your everyday activities
- Set a fixed time for meals
- Try to fit some of your tasks into your commute time
- Find time to unwind and relax
4. Prepare for all the precautions at work
Social distancing and sanitizing our surroundings has become an inevitable part of our lives. With offices opening up, you must prepare to return to the office the right way.
Simple habits like always wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance, and sanitizing your surroundings can help you stay safe as you return to work during a pandemic.
5. Make time to interact with your colleagues
One of the things we have missed during the pandemic is face-to-face interaction with our colleagues. While life was easy with video calls, it’s still not the same thing.
Now, as you prepare to return to the office, one of the things you need to do is find time to interact with your colleagues to catch up.
Try making plans for after-hours or arrange a lunch with the team. It may seem like a simple tip, but it can go a long way in helping you to connect with your colleagues again.
Conclusion
As you prepare to return to the office, we are sure there is a lot on your mind. We hope with this blog, you will find the answers to some of your questions and figure out where to get started.
All the best!
