Quarantine Over? Tips for Going Back to Work After COVID
While stay-at-home orders disrupted daily life, they also provided a sense of safety from the coronavirus. Although thousands of people are still testing positive each day, many businesses and offices are reopening with new guidelines in place. If you’re anxious about going back to work, that’s perfectly normal. Besides protecting your own health, you want to protect the people you love, too. The last thing anyone wants is to just go out to work and bring back a potentially life-threatening virus to their family. These tips will help you prepare to return to the office, and offer some advice on how to manage your COVID-19 anxiety.
Ask Your Boss About Flexible Work
If you’ve been working from home the last few months without any real issue, then it shouldn’t be a major problem to continue that now, even part-time. If you or someone in your household is considered high risk due to a pre-existing health condition, then you may be able to justify remaining at home for the duration of the year.Those with existing conditions may even qualify for special accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, you are also protected from being fired if you do not want to attend work due to the environment not being properly maintained or an employee who tested positive for the coronavirus being permitted to return to work without proving they are fully recovered and COVID-19-free.
DO NOT PUT OFF YOUR OWN HEALTH
Many healthcare professionals have mentioned how much care and basic maintenance had been put off by their patients during the lockdown. Anything deemed ‘nonessential’ was shut down and patients were not able to access the care they needed. As lockdowns start to lift, make sure that you make a trip to these kinds of health professionals. Before the lockdown if you were receiving corrective treatment for your teeth like braces or Invisalign, for instance, you need to make it a priority to get in before the next round of lockdowns and allow them to do what needs to be done to your teeth. You will regret it later if you do not.
Think About Child Care Now
Plan ahead to make arrangements for your children’s schooling and daycare, and try your best to have a plan B in place. It’s not possible for anyone to guarantee schools and other child care facilities won’t shut down again in the future, so you need to at least have a vague idea of what you’ll do in that situation. If you are already worried about returning to work because you don’t have alternate arrangements, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act can qualify some parents with extended sick leave and paid time off to care for their families.
Automate as Much as Possible
Think of ways to limit your time out of the house; this means looking for delivery services and other convenient ways to simplify your life and de-stress the entire work day. Online makes saving time even easier, even with something like getting your medical marijuana card in Utica, NY. The online process is fast, effortless and completely confidential. The better you feel physically and mentally, the easier it will be to return to work. Even if the circumstances aren’t ideal, prioritizing your wellbeing will help you feel more at ease and capable of facing any challenge.
Include Positive Activities
As you return to your old work routine, it is also important to include activities that bring you happiness and enjoyment. This can be regular workouts, yoga, reading or playing video games to unwind. Whatever you like to do, find ways to incorporate them into your schedule throughout the week. Not only do hobbies provide a healthy outlet for stress, but they also keep you feeling less confined by work, COVID and the uncertainty of today’s world.
