We have spent the last few years adjusting to work from home life and we have been told we can return now....but are we really ready?
Most remote workers surveyed expressed they prefer to work from home either all of the time or some of the time, and feel they are just as productive then when working from the office (Australian Government Productivity Commission).
You may have recently noticed that you aren't sleeping as well, mind is over thinking, imagining what the office return will be like, and the stress is beginning to creep in.
There is often an illusion that change is supposed to feel good, feel exciting and fun. The reality is our mind and body is conditioned to seek out predictable situations. This makes us feel safe and secure in our daily life activities. For example, think of a situation you find most comfortable in your life...often we think of home life, bedtime routines, getting into a cosy bed, each night we know what to expect and so this can be something that does not bring anxious feelings but rather a sense of calm and relaxation. And now think of a situation such as a job interview, we can feel nervous, stressed and overwhelmed with thoughts.
The mind doesn't really know the difference as to why these two scenarios are different but rather the body recognises one as familiar and one as unfamiliar. The bedtime routine happens daily, the body knows what to expect, how it will feel and therefore the body's defences are dropped. Interviews however are less frequent, the unpredictability of what questions will be asked causes the body to be in an anticipatory state. This can bring some anxiety which I often say is needed. Anxiety at the right level and the right times can support us to be able to perform. Imagine being overly relaxed in an interview, the interviewee may perceive this as being disinterested. Anxiety is needed for many situations, both to perform and to avoid dangerous situations. Anxiety becomes problematic when it inhibits our ability to function.
With all this in mind, it is no wonder that the return to the office is bringing up many thoughts and emotions. Those I work with have shared that working from home saved time on commuting, was cost effective and allowed more time to be spent with the family. Alternatively early on in the pandemic when work from home was a new concept, people shared they missed chats with their colleagues, coffee breaks and face to face meetings. We have now become plagued with endless web meetings and screen time.
It bears the thought of how we can create the best of both worlds? Can we really return to a pre-pandemic office culture or will this now look different? When we try to avoid what currently is presented to us this will inevitably cause dis-ease within the body. Identifying what we can control and adjust what is achievable may initially cause some anxious feelings but this can be used to catapult us into our next phase of growth.
When change is occurring it is important to remember it may feel uncomfortable, to give yourself grace throughout the process, you may fumble in the initial stages, you may not get up early enough to get to work on time, you may feel nervous having office conversations face to face again. All of which are completely okay.
Allow yourself additional time to get to the office, create a realistic bedtime routine that allows you to calm your nervous system- low lighting in the house, no screens 30 min before bed, a soothing warm tea or cacao drink, your office outfit and lunch prepared the night before. These may sound simple but can be a little more challenging when haven't been done in some time.
Another really important self care tip I love to share is to decide on something that will be a reward- coffee from your favourite cafe near work or Friday night dinner/drinks with colleagues. These are things that can begin to establish positive connections within the mind and transition away from the initial dread some may be experiencing. Reaching out to a trusted friend or therapist may also be another great option to talk through some of the nervous feelings.
In time a new routine that feels comfortable will be formed. Coffee catch ups will be the norm, screen time lessened, a clear separation between home and work life and just like that the body once again returns to the feeling of homeostasis.
References
Australian Government Productivity Commission- https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/working-from-home/working-from-home.pdf
