Recharging strategies for Returning to Office
July 16, 2024 5:37 PM Subscribe
How did you get your energy back after returning to work in the office?
Like millions of other workers, my employer has mandated that we work in the office at least three days a week. Factoring in about an hour for commuting each way, as well as preparing a lunch and getting ready, I'm finding myself exhausted at the end of each work day now, much more than pre-COVID (though I'm older now, too.) I live alone and I find myself becoming more isolated because I just don't have the energy to do anything after work.
I appreciate that this is a "first world problem" that privileged office workers have compared to those whose job requires them to leave home every day.
I'm going to the gym and trying to eat healthier, but interested in any other ideas or strategies that have helped anyone get their energy back after RTO.
Like millions of other workers, my employer has mandated that we work in the office at least three days a week. Factoring in about an hour for commuting each way, as well as preparing a lunch and getting ready, I'm finding myself exhausted at the end of each work day now, much more than pre-COVID (though I'm older now, too.) I live alone and I find myself becoming more isolated because I just don't have the energy to do anything after work.
I appreciate that this is a "first world problem" that privileged office workers have compared to those whose job requires them to leave home every day.
I'm going to the gym and trying to eat healthier, but interested in any other ideas or strategies that have helped anyone get their energy back after RTO.
Have a good lunch break - read a book, write, draw - something that really takes you away from the work mindset.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:12 PM on July 16 [2 favorites]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:12 PM on July 16 [2 favorites]
Try and do your lunch prep the night before, maybe making enough for more than one lunch so you can just have it in the fridge.
I try and use an after work run to give myself some energy. Not overexerting, just getting blood flowing and getting moving after a day in front of a monitor. Then the key is not to just fall down in front of the TV, try and surf the energy wave a little by arranging to meet people, do something or even get through part of your home to do list.
posted by knapah at 12:24 AM on July 17
I try and use an after work run to give myself some energy. Not overexerting, just getting blood flowing and getting moving after a day in front of a monitor. Then the key is not to just fall down in front of the TV, try and surf the energy wave a little by arranging to meet people, do something or even get through part of your home to do list.
posted by knapah at 12:24 AM on July 17
How long has it been? It mostly just took me time, I think, so if this is new, don't panic, you'll hopefully adjust.
In my case the return to 2 days a week in the office was also caused by starting a new job which meant extra mental load, but I think my brain just had to build lots of new connections* to enable me to cope with the sheer exposure to more people and ideas, as well as the physical exertion. I did adjust over time (now 4 months in).
At the outset, I think cutting down on extra curricular stuff is fine, making sure it's a short-term move to help you through the exhaustion of the readjustment period. Little stuff like making sure my clothes are ready and bag packed the night before, helped.
*not a neuroscientist, don't know if this is what actually happens!
posted by penguin pie at 2:58 AM on July 17
In my case the return to 2 days a week in the office was also caused by starting a new job which meant extra mental load, but I think my brain just had to build lots of new connections* to enable me to cope with the sheer exposure to more people and ideas, as well as the physical exertion. I did adjust over time (now 4 months in).
At the outset, I think cutting down on extra curricular stuff is fine, making sure it's a short-term move to help you through the exhaustion of the readjustment period. Little stuff like making sure my clothes are ready and bag packed the night before, helped.
*not a neuroscientist, don't know if this is what actually happens!
posted by penguin pie at 2:58 AM on July 17
Is your actual work productivity while working from home significantly higher than it was in the Before Times in an office? You may be burning all your energy trying to sustain that now in an interruption-filled environment.
posted by heatherlogan at 4:58 AM on July 17
posted by heatherlogan at 4:58 AM on July 17
I went from 100% remote to 4 days in the office 9 months ago, and it took me probably six months before I was handling it well. In the last few months, though, I've hit a rhythm and am able to go to my gym equivalent two evenings a week, and get my chores done, and do enough other things to feel like my life is not just a string of sleep work eat sleep work eat.
So I think first off, give yourself time to adjust to this. And meanwhile, dramatically lower your expectations of yourself. Here is what that looked like for me:
1. I stopped making my lunches and instead bought a thing of salad mix, cooked shredded chicken, dressing, a bag of apples, and some candy each week on my Monday lunch break. That's lunch for the week sorted (I would usually grab another bag of salad mid-week.) I liked to pack my lunch for health, finance, and tastiness reasons, but it wasn't something I could handle at the time. Now that I've settled in, I make my lunches on Sunday and just grab and go during the week.
2. I changed my form of exercise from a gym equivalent (rowing two evenings a week and once on the weekend) to walking and Ring Fit. I was not capable of giving up two evenings for a while because it felt like that was my only time - so I didn't. Figure out a way to get some exercise that doesn't kill your schedule, knowing that once you get used to the office, you'll be able to do more.
3. If you're an early bird, try to use the early hours! I wake up around 5 and either work out, do a chore (something mindless and gentle), or read/do a puzzle. I need to have a couple hours of recreation every day, but getting it early works just fine.
4. Can you throw money at this problem? I got a cleaner; it's great. I don't shop for clothes, I just get Stitchfix. I no longer take the bus; I drive. At work, I'm exchanging my time for money, so it only makes to spend some of that money on getting time back.
5. if you can, try to chunkify your work. This doesn't exactly change much other than my perception of my workday. Part of the thing I struggle with is the sameness of the workday. So I take my laptop to the breakroom for the first 45 minutes of work and drink tea while I answer email and plan my day. Then it's time for a couple hours of heads down work. I take meetings standing up.
6. Take more breaks! Go for a walk, chat with a friend, sit outside, etc. I think I probably do about 5 hours of actual work during my day. I'm not sure how typical that is, but it's enough and it doesn't exhaust me.
7. Be strategic about your WFH day. Can you adjust it to try out different days to figure out what works best for you? If you can, look at your week and see if there's a day where it makes the most sense to work from home. For me it's Wednesday - a nice midweek break and one of the days I go to the gym.
Hopefully some of these techniques will help - I think the thing that matters most is just giving yourself time and permission to not do as much. It's hard to manage a life on your own while working a full time job.
posted by punchtothehead at 7:06 AM on July 17 [4 favorites]
So I think first off, give yourself time to adjust to this. And meanwhile, dramatically lower your expectations of yourself. Here is what that looked like for me:
1. I stopped making my lunches and instead bought a thing of salad mix, cooked shredded chicken, dressing, a bag of apples, and some candy each week on my Monday lunch break. That's lunch for the week sorted (I would usually grab another bag of salad mid-week.) I liked to pack my lunch for health, finance, and tastiness reasons, but it wasn't something I could handle at the time. Now that I've settled in, I make my lunches on Sunday and just grab and go during the week.
2. I changed my form of exercise from a gym equivalent (rowing two evenings a week and once on the weekend) to walking and Ring Fit. I was not capable of giving up two evenings for a while because it felt like that was my only time - so I didn't. Figure out a way to get some exercise that doesn't kill your schedule, knowing that once you get used to the office, you'll be able to do more.
3. If you're an early bird, try to use the early hours! I wake up around 5 and either work out, do a chore (something mindless and gentle), or read/do a puzzle. I need to have a couple hours of recreation every day, but getting it early works just fine.
4. Can you throw money at this problem? I got a cleaner; it's great. I don't shop for clothes, I just get Stitchfix. I no longer take the bus; I drive. At work, I'm exchanging my time for money, so it only makes to spend some of that money on getting time back.
5. if you can, try to chunkify your work. This doesn't exactly change much other than my perception of my workday. Part of the thing I struggle with is the sameness of the workday. So I take my laptop to the breakroom for the first 45 minutes of work and drink tea while I answer email and plan my day. Then it's time for a couple hours of heads down work. I take meetings standing up.
6. Take more breaks! Go for a walk, chat with a friend, sit outside, etc. I think I probably do about 5 hours of actual work during my day. I'm not sure how typical that is, but it's enough and it doesn't exhaust me.
7. Be strategic about your WFH day. Can you adjust it to try out different days to figure out what works best for you? If you can, look at your week and see if there's a day where it makes the most sense to work from home. For me it's Wednesday - a nice midweek break and one of the days I go to the gym.
Hopefully some of these techniques will help - I think the thing that matters most is just giving yourself time and permission to not do as much. It's hard to manage a life on your own while working a full time job.
posted by punchtothehead at 7:06 AM on July 17 [4 favorites]
*Prep lunches and clothes for the entire week at once.
*Do as much personal stuff during your office workday as possible. Pay your insurance bill, run errands, exercise, meet a friend for lunch, etc.
*If your schedule is flexible, determine whether you're better off working three days in a row or every other day.
*If you drive, carpool or take public transport if that will give you better commuting decompression time. Either way, find something to make it less onerous; really gripping audiobooks maybe.
*If possible, socialize right after work somewhere near your office.
posted by metasarah at 10:03 AM on July 22
*Do as much personal stuff during your office workday as possible. Pay your insurance bill, run errands, exercise, meet a friend for lunch, etc.
*If your schedule is flexible, determine whether you're better off working three days in a row or every other day.
*If you drive, carpool or take public transport if that will give you better commuting decompression time. Either way, find something to make it less onerous; really gripping audiobooks maybe.
*If possible, socialize right after work somewhere near your office.
posted by metasarah at 10:03 AM on July 22
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Entertainment you can listen to during the commute (or a particularly nice book or whatever you can have if anything during the commute), a few nice chapsticks or lotions on hand that feel like a treat to apply throughout the day, your favourite breakfast ready for you when you wake up or a pleasing snack when you come home… maybe this is silly but having even simple favourites arranged at key times in the day (the morning when I’m tired and need to find my energy!) can really pep me up.
I’m sure also advice around meal prepping and trying to save time and energy on those days would be helpful too.
posted by jerboa at 6:31 PM on July 16 [2 favorites]