Going back into work seems a long way off for some people, so far in the distance that it doesn’t feel worth considering. But how do people really feel? Well, the word on the street is anxious, fearful, and mistrusting of possible safety measures. This is a normal response. When we
are out of a routine, as humans, we adapt very well to our circumstances. The problem is that we become sensitive to the old structure. Hence we are trepidatious about returning to work when we may have been working within our own environment for the past year. This, coupled with Covid anxiety, means fears are heightened. So, what can we do about this? Preparation, preparation, preparation! I know it’s a nicer place to be if we avoid the thoughts of this until it actually happens, but the problem is, with avoidance of thought comes an increase in anxiety. This is because we are not giving ourselves the opportunity to rationalize our thoughts, we are not able to consider probability of events and think about the potential outcomes. This doesn’t physically alter our situation. We are still going to be back in work, which feels like the unknown and this is frightening. But what it does alter is your perception of lack of control, you can make a plan of how you want to reduce this anxiety. You may decide to walk to work instead of taking public transport, you may decide to take a packed lunch instead of eating in the canteen, you may consider how you can make your desk space safe. I am not suggesting that these will eliminate your stressors but what I am saying is, taking some control and planning your future work will without a doubt, reduce some of your fears and increase positive mental health.