Niels Eék, psychologist and co-founder of mental health and self-development platform Remente, gives advice on how to manage your mental health when returning to work.
The prospect of going back to work may cause some nervousness and anxiety, especially after spending so long with limited face-to-face contact. Upon returning to the office, you may want to keep track of how much time you are devoting to work when you return home in the evenings.
Remote working can blur the boundaries between your professional and personal life, so it’s important to re-establish this division, particularly if you have spent the last four months working from home. Reading and receiving emails and messages outside of working hours can make some people feel more anxious. To avoid this, you may want to set clear boundaries at home, where you do not address work emails during certain hours, to give yourself time to relax ready for the next day.
Of course, some tasks may be urgent, so ask your manager to phone you if something needs to be immediately addressed. That way, you don’t need to be constantly checking your device and can instead focus on your own mental and physical well-being. Go to bed at a time that allows you to rise well-rested, cook nutritious meals that you enjoy, or perhaps take an evening walk to relax. Returning to work is likely to be a shock after so long, so make sure to do what you need to do to feel relaxed each evening.
Talking to a friend or colleague can be extremely useful when addressing these anxieties. It is good to remember that these feelings are something that many people face, so being open about your emotions is nothing to feel uncomfortable about. “Remember that it is OK to tell your friends and co-workers that you need some time out” as you return to regular interactions with people after months of isolation. It may take some time to adapt to the change in circumstances, but this is totally normal.
【小题1】What will happen to the people who return to office work?| A．They will need more career development guidance. |
| B．They will have to check their emails constantly. |
| C．They will feel more relaxed than working at home. |
| D．They may suffer from some mental problems. |
| A．Mix up. | B．Focus on. | C．Break away. | D．Set up. |
| A．Telling your manager you need rest. |
| B．Checking your device repeatedly for messages. |
| C．Confirming urgent and vital things to be addressed. |
| D．Telling your colleagues to spare you some time. |
| A．How to manage your physical health at work |
| B．How to deal with anxiety as you return to work |
| C．Advice on a better performance at office work |
| D．Advice on striking a balance between work and life |
