Does returning to the office make you feel anxious? Have you gotten so used to working  mostly alone and on your own terms that the thought of going back to the way things were weighs on you?

Well, we can’t change the world from reopening, but when you do get back to work, there are a few things you can do to stand out and show your boss that you’re back and you mean business. Here are a few confidence boosting ideas to get you back into the swing of things.

Manage Your Time Wisely

Organization is the key to success. If your work days are structured properly, you will be able to move about your day flawlessly checking all the items off of your list. The best way to do this is to manage your time with the use of a day planner or online scheduling system where every morning you can see how your day looks before you leave the house so that once you arrive at the office you can hit the ground running. 

Use Project Management Software

With so much going on upon your return to work, small details and deadlines may fall through the cracks. The reacclimation to the office environment is going to take some getting used to and having a platform where you can clearly see what is being done and what needs to be done is essential. Once you have all of your tasks neatly organized in front of you the day won’t seem so daunting and overwhelming.

Show Up With Your Best Self

There is definitely going to be some rumblings and grumblings the first few weeks back. Co-workers are going to miss dressing casually, not commuting, and basically being free from micromanagement and being side-by-side with the boss.

Showing up with a good attitude and the desire to perform at your full potential will not only make it easier for you to get back into the office culture, but you will begin to appreciate your job more.

Take Initiative 

A lot of times, people don’t speak up in a professional environment because they believe they don’t have anything to contribute. Some people are also fearful of speaking in public. A fear of that nature can easily be remedied with communication coaching, which will help you to speak with more confidence.

Taking the first steps to solve problems and propose new ideas will help you stay more engaged and involved with what is happening around you at work. This will help you to not only stand out, but you will drift off less and want to work more. Image sourced from Pixabay. CC0 License

Show Gratitude 

The more grateful you are for something the more of that something you will get. During the pandemic, a lot of people lost their jobs and are continuing to struggle with finding work. Having gratitude for having a job will make your time back in the office more pleasant.

Even on the hardest of days (and there will always be hard days) you still have a job and you are still able to make money. Reminding yourself of that will help you not only perform better, but you will see your co-workers in a light where you will be grateful for them as well. 

Personalize Your Space

One of the biggest changes during the pandemic was people really taking notice of their homes and personal spaces and making them their own. The same applies for when you go back to the office. Perhaps it’s time to redecorate your office.

Bringing in plants, photos, artwork, or even a small piece of furniture may help you feel like you are right at home. Literally. You just spent more than a year with your home as your workspace. Maybe if you bring something from home to work it will help you bridge the gap between your worlds. 

Dress For Success

In the early days of the pandemic, it was essential to still dress like you were going to work. It helped to differentiate between downtime and time to work. As you return to the office, we are in a different world, so a different wardrobe may help.

Buy new clothes or a few new items to wear to the office so that you feel that you have made some change from before the pandemic to after the pandemic. The small idea of feeling new may help you see work and the tasks at hand differently, raising your engagement with the return of office culture.