Lockdown has affected us all in different ways, so as we transition out of it, there may be a lot of change at home or at work so its only natural to be concerned about what the future holds.
Many people may feel disorientated, anxious and apprehensive about the adjustments leaving lockdown will bring- weather that be everyone going back to work, working alongside multiple people again or no longer working from home. Many businesses are exploring new ways to arrange work life to comply with government restrictions which will depend on the persons job role or individual circumstances. Everyone’s situation is different, however, here are some general principles that will help you stay mentally healthy as you adjust to these changes.
TALK & CONNECT
It is important to keep in touch with colleagues and your manager. You don’t need to talk about work, but a quick check-in will help you feel connected. We have all been impacted by the coronavirus in different ways. You may have felt overwhelmed or isolated, or been unwell. If you share this with others they will be better able to help you in the months ahead.
PLAN & PREPARE
Think about your job and your situation. Does anything need to change to help you do your job well?
TAKE THINGS ONE STEP AT AT TIME
The way we all work is likely to keep changing in the coming weeks so we will need to keep adjusting. Don’t expect everything to quickly return to normal. We have a long journey ahead. We may not be able to go back to our old ways of working for some time – and if we are lucky, this could give us an opportunity to do things differently, and better.
MONITOR AND REVIEW HOW YOU ARE GETTING ON
It is important to have regular check-ins with yourself and check-ins with your team and manager. This way you can address issues as they come up and start to plan and prepare for the journey through COVID-19 together.
FINALLY
Everyone is finding their own path and things might not always go to plan. It is important to be kind to yourself and to be kind to others as we all find our way.