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How to Control Back to Office Stresses

As lockdown eases and more people are allowed back into the office, you might see yourself entering the workplace soon. Perhaps you are already aware of the date and are dreading the back to work stresses. Teams may have gotten smaller with Covid-19 restrictions and concerns, or maybe you have a large workload waiting on your desk.Letting these stresses take over can be detrimental to both our physical and mental health. We need to learn how to prepare for stress and control it properly if we want to tackle work head-on with confidence. Without this knowledge and support, then we risk letting our stress take over our lives, leaving us tired, unhappy and overworked.Please keep reading to learn more about back to office stresses and how you can ensure your transition back into the workplace is smooth. With confidence in your ability, preparedness and outside support, you can keep stress at bay and be successful in your career even during uncertain times.

Back to Work Stresses

Work has always been stressful for many people with deadlines, clients and tough workloads to handle. But as we exist in confusing times, it isn’t strange to see even the most level-headed people face some stress at work. Perhaps you have been on leave and are now facing the transition back to work in the coming days or weeks. The stress of entering the workplace can be overwhelming for many of us and cause us to sink beneath the workload.While UK retail sales rose by a modest 4%, many other businesses had to completely shut down during lockdown. Work was put on hold, staff were sent home, and deadlines were not met. As we go back to work, all of this work still needs to be completed, as well as new tasks and projects. The increased workload can be stressful for many of us, especially if our teams have been decreased as a result of coronavirus. Because of health concerns, work teams may be working on a rotation or with many people remaining on furlough or working at home. This means you can be facing the same amount of work or more, but with a smaller team. As a result, there is more work for fewer people, leading it to eat into your free time at home.

The Impact of Stress

There are many mental health impacts of stress; it can cause us to constantly worry, overthink situations and lose focus. With work being such a massive part of our lives, we are surrounded by these symptoms of stress constantly both in the office and at home. If we don’t take control of stress, these can have a long-lasting impact on our mental health, leading to further issues like depression and anxiety.However, stress doesn’t just affect our mental health, but our physical health too. If we are continually stressing, we can experience symptoms like a weakened immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to infections and high blood pressure. Stress hormones also make our heart pump faster, leading to ‘pounding heart’ which can be worrisome for people usually in good health. It also places you at risk of a heart attack, as well as affecting our reproductive organs through missed periods, erectile dysfunction and fertility problems.

How to Control Your Stress

So how can we prepare ourselves for the transition back into the workplace and prevent stress from overtaking our lives? If you have some days or weeks before you head back into the office, try and get yourself organised. Perhaps you can ask your boss for a roundup of the work needed to be caught up on, or you may already know. Plan the first few weeks back at work based on what work needs to be completed, as well as deadlines and clients to call. This will help you take each day at a time and feel organised and confident in your work. It will also help prevent you from falling behind and feeling even more overwhelmed with your work.Sometimes we take our work back home with us, and with that the stress and anxiety that lingers around it. This isn’t good for your home life as it can lead to problems in relationships, insomnia and depression. Talking with a therapist is a great way to release stress before you head home from work. You can schedule a session after work, or speak over the phone or Skype within the first hour of you being back home. This helps create a separation between work and home and set you up for a week of successful work and a relaxing home life. A therapist isn't something to fear, but rather embrace as they can provide you with the understanding you need of your mental health. With better understanding comes increased motivation to protect your mental health from issues like stress, anxiety and depression.Check out my website today to learn more about my services as a therapy and how I can support your transition back into the workplace. With experience working with a range of clients, I understand how to help those suffering from a stressful work life find balance once again. With top-quality support, expert guidance and a compassionate ear, I can help you relieve yourself of stress and be more confident in your work.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]