We’re all at different comfort levels.
There’s no right way to feel about the transition other than to honor what’s authentic to you.
She suggests youcreate a plan made up of three categories: deal-breakers, must-haves, and maybes.
“A deal-breaker might be more than ten unmasked team members in one space.
A must-have might be one work-from-home day.
And your maybes would be any decisions that youd make based on how you feel in the moment.”
Unsplash/Design by Cristina Cianci
As such,setting boundaries for office reentry relies on open communication.
It’s vital you maintain a healthy dialog around the issues that are important to you.
AlTai suggests you physicalize your plan when possible.
She also provides tools for her clients, to help coach them through fears and anxieties about work.
We start by listing out all our fearswithout judgment."
Planning, once again, is critical to dealing with these fears.
AlTai suggests you think about defining boundaries for health and safety-related exchanges at the office.
“How many people are you willing to be around and still feel safe and supported?
Are you open to work travel and what do you need it to look and feel like?
At what point do you feel comfortable without a mask?
At what point do you feel like you want towear your mask?”
“Define your boundaries around touching and physical space,” says AlTai.
“Are you willing to shake hands, high-five, hug?”
Whatever you decide, know that these boundaries can change in accordance with your comfort level.
For some, office chit chat, happy hours, and in-person meetings might be welcome.
For others, these types of interactions might cause some social anxiety.
The key to navigating this terrain is to, according to Kawahara, “focus on the good.”
She suggests trying to frame these interactions as a chance to “reconnect with missed colleagues and coworkers.”
In doing so, you’ll reactivate feelings of hope and optimism.
To ease yourself back into being social at work, Kawahara suggests you begin with some preparation at home.
You’ll also want to think about setting boundaries for these types of social interactions.
AlTai recommends you set boundaries for handling work-related social engagements.
“We’ve been off this punch in of schedule for over a year,” says Kawahara.
Having a systematic action plan in place is key to finding the balance that works for your lifestyle.
Maintaining a healthy diet is so critical to your sense of agency, not to mention your physical wellbeing.
She encourages people to find “balance and discover practices that help you maintain it.”
“Consider keeping a journal to take note of what foods and activities help you feel great.
