This is a collaborative post: So, you’ve spent the last year working from home, and you’ve gotten pretty good at it if you don’t mind tooting your own horn. But, with restrictions lifted each week, your manager has gotten in touch to tell everyone they are welcome back to something resembling The Before sooner rather than later.
Now, everyone may have a different opinion about this. For some, they have missed the office. They have missed chatting with coworkers and having that atmosphere that has made work much more tolerable. They have despised Zoom calls where the internet is never quite good enough. For others, though, the idea of going back to the office seems like a nightmare come to life, especially if they have become comfortable in their home setup. Still, for many companies, the office is vital, so here are six back to work essentials to make the transition more comfortable.
Work Out Your Commute
Remember the commute? Remember dragging yourself out of bed each morning and defrosting the car before heading out for the day? Do you remember traffic? Of course, you do, but as much as you might dread this now, you still make the most of your time away by considering how you can improve your journey to the office.
If you’ve gotten into podcasts, there’s no reason why you can’t listen to one during your journey. If you have discovered a better route to the office whether by car, bike or foot, then take this instead of hurtling down the motorway every morning.
You can make the most of clear roads to make your commute more enjoyable, and even if you need to stick to the same route as before, there are still ways that you can make the morning more bearable so you can get into work feeling better about the day ahead.
Know What You’re Wearing
The days of wearing your pyjamas are, unfortunately, over. But, this doesn’t mean you need to entirely abandon comfort in favour of looking professional, at least not all the time. You can take the opportunity to rethink your work attire and make your wardrobe more efficient for the office.
Opinions around work attire are changing rapidly. You aren’t expected to wear a shirt, skirt, and blazer anymore. Instead, you can still look like you belong in more comfortable clothes. This could mean buying a new pair of Women’s Boots that provide support throughout the year (and look good, as well), to thinking about mixing a smart blazer with a t-shirt that shows off more of who you are.
Not everything will work in the office environment, of course, but it’s still worth trying to bring a little personality into your working life.
Get Organized
The time away from the office may have given you the chance to be more organized than you have ever been before. Going back to the office should not change this at all. Instead, you should have all the tools you need to stay as organised as you can.
This can mean doing that extra bit of work the night before so you can hit the ground running tomorrow. It can mean making your lunch so you don’t rely on fast food or expensive cafes during the day. You should also think about arranging your day. If you have found out what tasks and priorities work best for you, it’s important to stick with them.
The more organized you are, the easier your return will be, and this can reduce the stress and anxiety you might feel from getting back to the office, especially if you don’t feel ready just yet.
Rearrange Your Routine
Your routine has been crucial to achieving daily success over the past 18-or-so months. The idea of returning to the office could disrupt this routine, and that might hinder your productivity and efficiency.
Therefore, you must find ways to make your routine stick but also fit into the changes within your life. This will help your transition feel more comfortable and won’t change too much about your day. There will still be adjustments that you need to make, especially with things like commutes and meetings, but knowing what you can adjust and adapt will keep your productivity as high as possible.
Bring What You’ve Learned With You
You can also make the change more comfortable by bringing everything you have learned while working from home with you. Everyone has probably worked remotely a little differently, and it’s something that managers will need to remember when filling the office back up.
If you have gotten into the habit of going for a walk during lunch, you must maintain this. It won’t be the same, of course, especially if your office is in the city, but it can help things feel a little more normal.
Everyone will have a unique way of coping with the office, so it’s also important to respect their approach as much as possible.
Have Patience
If you are forced back to the office against your will and haven’t yet found a new job that allows you to work from home forever, you may need to relearn how to work alongside others. While many people enjoy the office environment, it’s not for everyone, so you must remember how to be patient with each other if you want to maintain a productive atmosphere.
There is the chance you’ll feel others are intruding on your space and time. You will miss listening to your favourite albums in peace, where you can just get on with your work however you like. This is something you will need to deal with, though, and knowing how to exercise patience will make everything much easier.
Office Life
As much as you may have enjoyed working from home, you might not have the choice to do this forever. Some companies will want their employees in the office at all times, whereas others should only require your presence a few times a week. Whichever route your company takes, you must know how to remain happy and adapt to these changes easily. You might find it’s easier than you expected.