Slay Your Return to the Office With These 5 Tips

If you are among the millions of people around the world who were sent home during COVID-19 shutdowns, you may be facing an imminent return to work. The prospect of that likely leaves you with a wide range of feelings. Be proactive and prepare yourself to slay that return trip by taking action now.

1. Boost Your Immune Health

One of the biggest concerns people are experiencing as they return to the office after the current prolonged period of working from home is getting sick. And, given the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic in America, that is completely reasonable. Working to improve your overall health will also give your immune system a boost which, hopefully, will give you a slight advantage when you head back into the workplace.

There is strong evidence emerging that a large part of the immune response is generated within the gut, so why not start there. A healthy gut not only helps your immune health, but it can also lower chronic inflammation, help your body regulate blood sugar levels and relieve sluggishness and fatigue. Show your gut a little love by adopting a healthy, whole-food diet that focuses on plants and other high-fiber items. A natural supplement can also be helpful, and looking for Gundry MD coupons online is a great way to keep costs to a manageable level.

2. Take Regular Breaks

If you are like most workers who transitioned to a home office, you haven't just been sitting at your desk all day for the past several months. That means your body is probably going to rebel at the idea of doing it now. Take it easy on yourself for the first few weeks (at least) by scheduling short breaks. Even taking five minutes every hour to stand up, stretch and refocus can have positive effects. For starters, it can increase your ability to pay attention while also boosting productivity.

3. Learn To Manage Stress

Stress is unavoidable. It affects everyone and it isn't always a bad thing. In fact, it can help you successfully navigate complex and dangerous situations. However, too much stress can have serious consequences for your health. It may disrupt your natural immune response, making you more likely to fall ill. It can also contribute to chronic health conditions like hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Finding strategies to manage stress can help you avoid those outcomes. Luckily, there are numerous options that have been proven effective in reducing stress, including:

Mindful meditation

Exercise

Deep breathing exercises

Biofeedback

Listening to soothing music

Progressive muscle relaxation

4. Keep Everything Clean

There are so many reasons to keep your work area clean right now, but the two key ones are pretty straightforward: clutter decreases productivity and can make it harder to properly sanitize surfaces. As you head back to your old desk, bring a few file boxes and get ready to tackle the piles. Go through the desktop and get rid of any old or out of date memos and notes that you no longer need. Scan files and receipts to make digital copies and then box up the originals for storage. Recycle old magazines and brochures after digitizing anything relevant and useful. Once you have pared everything down to a manageable level, use sanitizers to clean all the surfaces. The phone, keyboard, mouse, draw pulls and light switches are a few places you want to pay extra attention to.

5. Increase Positivity

There is something to be said about looking on the bright side, and everyone could probably use a little burst of positivity right now. It has long been established that positive work cultures benefit productivity. What you may not know is that they also give a boost to employee engagement, morale and loyalty. Implementing a few strategies to improve positivity in the workplace can help ease the transition back to the office for you and everyone around you.

Whether you are anxiously awaiting your return to the office or looking at it with dread, you want to be prepared when the time comes. You can get a start by eating right, managing stress, reducing clutter and increasing positivity in the workplace.