National Work Life Week

Written by Henry Findlater

This week is National Work Life Week and after 18 months away, we are finally returning to the office.

There is still a fair amount of negativity about Covid in the newspapers, so it’s no surprise that many people are feeling some degree of anxiety about returning to the workplace. For some it’s the fear of leaving the safety of their home after 18 months of restrictions, and for others it’s worrying about finding a good work-life balance as we get back to ‘normality’.

For many of us, the pandemic was an opportunity to learn new things, invest more time in self-care and reconnect with those closest to us. Time that would have been lost to commuting could instead be spent on daily walks, cooking meals from scratch, or helping out with kids’ bath time. As we return to the office, it’s important not to let these new-found positive habits slide; instead, make it a priority now to incorporate them into your new routine to enable you to establish a good work-life balance.

One key strategy is to plan ahead. If you know you’ll be in the office on Tuesday and have a long commute home, cook an extra portion when you’re preparing Monday’s supper and make Tuesday your ‘rest day’ for the week’s exercise schedule. Block out time in your diary each week to focus on any new-found hobbies, and whenever possible implement a strict hard stop at the end of the working day to spend time with family or friends.

It may feel as though the pandemic has lasted a lifetime, but in reality, it has been just 18 months out of many decades. We talk about returning to the office as a ‘new normal’, but in fact the oddity has been having so much time at home.

So, as we find ourselves facing circumstances that are ‘different’ to the previous 18 months, we ask our team how they maintain a healthy work-life balance and here is what they said:

Exercise – Whether it’s walking the dog, going for a bike ride or doing yoga, take time out for exercise. You can even exercise inside the house. Online gym classes can be completed in condensed spaces with no equipment. Take time out in your lunch hour for a nice walk.

Stay connected – Reach out to your family, friends and colleagues, and remain connected.

Free time – Take some time for those things you don’t usually have time for and do something you love. Rediscover your hobbies or perhaps even find new ones or turn your hand to reading, gardening or baking for a therapeutic bit of ‘downtime’. Give it the time it deserves.

Nature – Try to get as much light and fresh air as you can. However, during these winter months, make sure to wrap up warm!

Be realistic – At the end of every day, ask yourself what worked and what didn’t. Analyse how you can improve for the next day.