Debra Eckerling (author of Your Goal Guide) makes sure you keep time for self-care once you go back to working in the office.
After 15 months of working from home, you finally mastered that work-life balance.
- You figured out how much work you can get done before the rest of the household wakes up.
- You’ve set boundaries for work-time, me-time, and family time.
- You are more productive than ever.
Then, you get the email: The office is reopening. Please return to work on Monday.
Once you’ve recovered from your panic attack and realized you really need or love your job … or both … you ask yourself, “How on earth can I get back to the way things were?”
Simply: One day at a time. And one step at a time.
To help you embrace returning to the office, here are some self-care goals for work-life balance.
5 Self-Care Goals
1. Wait to Make Plans. No matter how long you worked from home – and how far (or close) your commute – going back to the office is a big deal. Don’t plan any extra activities or obligations during your first week of two back. Restarting work in a traditional way may feel like starting a new job, which by the way, is one of the most stressful life-changes. Give yourself a break and don’t overdo it.
2. Prioritize Your Health. If you started a regular workout or healthy-eating routine during lockdown, now is not the time to go back to old habits. Been cooking at home? Pack lunch. As far as exercise is concerned, do shorter, but consistent workouts, until you find the best way to fit it into your schedule. It may take some trial and error, but that’s okay.
3. Start a Passion Project. What is something you love to do, but never find time to work toward? Do you want to write a book? Start a garden? Plan a vacation? Find something fun to pursue in your downtime, so you have something good to think about when you get frustrated with the world around you. That joy will run over into the other parts of your life … and make the frustrating things feel more manageable.
4. Make Soup. Preparing and enjoying soup is the ultimate self-care goal. It doesn’t even have to be soup. Comfort food comes in all types and flavors.
5. Be Good to You. Make a point to do something to take care of yourself each day, Whether it’s a few minutes or an hour. Read a book. Work on a hobby. Binge-watch TV. Meditate. Disconnect. Your body will thank you. Plus, you will be happier and much more productive.
Remember, returning to the office is only the latest change in more than a year full of constant change. You’ve made it this far. You can do it!
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What is your best self-care tip? Please share in the comments.
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Need help setting and achieving self-care goals? Want to initiate a corporate-wellness program for your employees? I am available for consultations and workshops. Message me to set something up.
your goal guide
A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals
Start with a plan. One of the biggest reasons goals fail is that we often don’t put enough thought into what we really want before diving in. Your Goal Guide by Debra Eckerling starts with that first, crucial step: figuring out your goals and putting a plan in place. As a professional writer, communications specialist, and project catalyst with more than 20 years of experience, Eckerling is prepared to help you achieve success.