Returning to Work: 5 Positive Benefits
The furlough scheme is winding down to a close, and the latest government guidance is encouraging us to return to work (if it is safe to do so). After months of adjusting to the ‘new normal’ of working from home, is now is the time to snap back to pre-lockdown working habits, or make new ones entirely? No one can be certain as to how our working lives will change over the next few months, nor how ‘normal’ may be redefined in the future. But, in the meantime, here are our five positive benefits of returning to work.
Let home be home again
Returning to the office could work wonders for your mental health. As the line between work life and home life has become a little blurred, returning to office can offer a clean differentiation once more. Returning to the office means that you can switch off from work and let home be home again; enabling you to maintain a healthier work/life balance.
Fewer distractions
Allow yourself to be consumed by the productivity of your colleagues. No television, no housemates or loved ones to pry you from your screen, just your desk, your tech and the welcome buzz of office hubbub. Or, perhaps you prefer the quiet corner of the office, where you can blaze through your to-do-list, completely undisturbed. Either way, offices are designed with work in mind, it’s hard not to feel productive when you are surrounded by your tech, tools and a working environment.
Refresh your routine
It is no secret that having a daily routine helps to reduce procrastination and give your day structure. Your routine may have changed whilst working from home, returning to the office gives you the opportunity to return to your previous routine or make a new one altogether. From checking the news on your daily commute to preparing packed lunches of an evening, routines increase productivity and give us a sense of normality – something that we could all use a little more of at the moment.
Meet the Team
Though technology has allowed us to stay in touch with our teams virtually, returning to office offers (socially distanced) face-to-face time to engage and connect with our colleagues. Physically working together as a team is a fantastic way to boost morale – from brainstorming ideas to quick coffee corner conversations. Face-to-face communication is particularly important for building and maintaining relationships (especially with new starters), which in turn will encourage an inclusive company culture.
Support the local lunchtime economy
Many city-centre-based businesses rely heavily on the business sector and office workers for stability in their sales. Support your local economy by ditching the packed lunch and treating yourself to a store-bought lunch, or even just a barista-made coffee. Eat out to help out was a fantastic way to encourage people to eat out again and that it was safe to do so. Though the government has out ruled an extension of the scheme, a few restaurants are funding the discounts themselves throughout September (here are a few of them).
For some of us, returning to the office may feel a little daunting, and for others, it may feel like a welcome return to a pre-lockdown norm. If you’re not particularly looking forward to returning to your office, perhaps it’s time that you looked for a new opportunity.