Navigating Your Return to the Office

After working remotely for so long, many people are finally being asked to return to the office. During this transition, it can be completely normal to feel anxious or nervous. After spending so much time working from your home, it’s okay to feel uncertain about working from an office setting again.

In today’s blog post from Blair Wellness Group, we’re going to discuss this anxiety, as well as how you can overcome it. Read on to learn more, and if you’re in need of anxiety treatment or treatment, reach out to us today to speak to our licensed psychologist in Beverly Hills. 

Anxiety in the Office

It’s normal to feel anxious about returning to the office. You should remember there are many people who are in the same position as you, who have fears about being exposed to COVID-19, the social aspect of working with others, and more.

The best way to deal with this anxiety is by preparing yourself mentally and physically. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself, and try to stay positive before going into the office each day. 

How to Prepare Yourself for Your Return to the Office

As you prepare to return to the office, it’s important that you take care of yourself. You should focus on eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep, as well as being mindful about your mental health. It’s also a good idea to practice mindfulness techniques before going to work each day. This will help you get in the right state of mind for working from the office again.

In addition, make sure that you’re taking precautions at work regarding COVID-19. Wear your mask around others, regularly wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after touching surfaces like door handles or elevator buttons, stay socially distant when possible by setting up partitions between desks or using bigger conference rooms so people spread out more, and avoid close contact with anyone who is feeling unwell. 

Beyond these methods of preparing yourself for returning to the office, you may also want to create a plan for identifying, confronting, and overcoming anxiety. 

Create a Plan

One of the best ways to combat the anxiety you’re feeling about returning to the office is to have a plan in place. You’ll want to create a plan that allows you to recognize when your anxiety becomes overwhelming and how to manage it. And the most important thing to remember is that you’re not alone. Many people in your office are having similar feelings about returning to work in a traditional setting. It may be beneficial to reach out to others and create a plan together. 

• Understand the Signs of Anxiety: First and foremost, you’ll want to be able to identify when your anxiety is becoming too much. Oftentimes, anxiety presents with physical symptoms, and these can be different for everyone. It’s important to understand how your anxiety presents itself. Symptoms often include a feeling of being overwhelmed, shaking hands, sweating, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, and difficulty speaking, among others. You should make a note about the symptoms you commonly feel when your anxiety sets in so you can quickly recognize what’s happening.

• Identify the Causes of Your Anxiety: Before you return to the office, take a few moments to make a list of the things that you believe will cause you the most anxiety. These triggers may include anything from answering the phone or speaking in groups to deciding what to do for lunch or socializing with others around you. Once you’ve identified your triggers, it will be easier for you to overcome these situations.

• Brainstorm Solutions: Next, you’ll want to come up with a few ideas of how you can overcome your anxiety in these situations. Maybe you have breathing exercises that help you stay in the present or you have a stress ball that has helped you before. Make a list of a few things that you can do to minimize your anxiety once you’re back in the office and regularly being exposed to triggers.

• Discuss Your Plan With Others: While it may be difficult to talk about your anxiety, you must remember that others have the same reservations as you about returning to the office. In fact, it’s likely that some of your coworkers will want to create a plan of their own. Working together can help ease some of your tension. You may even decide to create a buddy system where you and another coworker can signal each other when one of you is feeling overwhelmed. Having someone you trust to rely on may prove to be a big help through the transition. 

Anxiety Treatment is Available

While most people are feeling a certain amount of anxiety about returning to the office, for some, it can be more difficult to deal with than others. If your anxiety is proving too difficult to manage on your own, it’s important that you seek help from a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Blair Wellness Group offers anxiety treatment and treatment in Beverly Hills, including cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT), which is commonly used to address anxiety. 

CBT is a type of treatment modality or traditional psychotherapy, that is used to treat different types of anxieties and mental health conditions. This evidence-based treatment model seeks to replace self-limiting thoughts with more realistic and encouraging ones by identifying negative patterns, and then working to understand and confront them. While this is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety, Dr. Cassidy Blair of Blair Wellness Group will work with you one-on-one to discover the best anxiety treatment modality or treatment style for you. Our goal is to help you feel your best during this transition period.

Schedule an Appointment at Blair Wellness Group

While it’s perfectly normal to feel nervous about returning to work after working remotely for so long, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be time to reach out for help. At Blair Wellness Group, our Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Cassidy Blair, will work with you one-on-one to create a personalized anxiety treatment plan for you. If you’d like to learn more about our anxiety treatment options or are ready to make an appointment at our Beverly Hills treatment center, reach out to our team today.