Positive Steps for Going Back to the Office

Many people will be going back to the office and their remote workstation (aka their kitchen table) will soon be a thing of the past. While some companies have decided to keep their employees working remote, others are ready to safely and cautiously re-open their doors. Make the move from working in yoga pants to pulling on real pants with a zipper can be a challenge. Here are some tips on how to make the transition smooth and seamless. Notice, I didn’t say “painless” because having to wake up to an alarm again every morning is pretty painful.

Tips for Going Back to the Office:

Make Your Bed

This simple habit is associated with everything from a greater sense of happiness and well-being to stronger budgeting skills. And when you sleep on fresh, clean sheets, you are likely to sleep 75% better, according to a national sleep study. Making your bed as soon as you wake up starts your day off on the right foot. And also discourages you from jumping back in it!

Iron Your Shirts and Get Your Morning Essentials Ready

Get your clothes ready each morning by ironing what you will wear and polishing your shoes. Also consider updating your makeup drawer. Toss what is old and replace it with what you need so you have everything ready and at your fingertips. This will make the morning go more smoothly.

Set your alarm for an hour earlier for a couple of weeks so your body clock can get used to the new time change. Walking into your kitchen to start your day is different than driving to work or taking the subway. You need extra time for breakfast, saying goodbye to your kids and pets and making your way to the office. 

Avoid Pressing Snooze

According to an article in HuffPost, the body needs time to wake up and when you hit snooze it sets your body into a false alarm state because it thinks you are not getting up after all. Rafael Pelayo, MD, a sleep specialist at the Stanford University Sleep Medicine Center, says your body and brain are taken by surprise when the alarm goes off. The more you snooze, the more confused your body gets. This results in you feeling worse than if you would have gotten up after the first alarm.

People also tend to go through negative scenarios in their heads once they are lying in bed. It is best to get up and out of bed and move forward with your day. 

Establish Specific Sleep and Wake Time Habits

Getting into the habit of going to sleep at the same time every night trains your body to start to feel sleepy at a set time. And waking up at the same time every morning gets your body into the same positive morning wake-up habit. Remember, the snooze button is not your ally when your alarm goes off.

Inventory Your Closet

You will be surprised how many items of clothing you will want to donate or purge. Take a thorough account of your work clothes. Sew on loose or missing buttons and clean out your purse that has been harboring old gum and candy wrappers still in the side pockets. Give yourself an incentive to get dressed every morning by cleaning your closet, giving the closet’s floors and walls a complete wipe down, purging old or unwanted items, and starting fresh. It will feel as if you have a brand new wardrobe and fresh and tidy closet space.

Get Your Clingy Poodle on the Same Schedule

My dog, Marty the Parti Poodle, has gotten extremely used to our daily routine. He goes where I go, follows me all around the house every second, whimpers when he sees me walk towards my shoe basket and has gotten very attached to having me around most of the day. I know the time will soon come when I will start to travel again and I contacted a vet to ask for her advice. Our pets can experience separation anxiety so it’s important to prepare them for the transition. If they are accustomed to you always being there and there is a sudden and extreme disruption, it could be devastating to your favorite furry friend.

Leave your pet alone for short amounts of time, gradually increasing the time as they adjust to you going back to the office. The vet said that I should put my tennis shoes on during the day when I don’t plan to leave so he can eventually stop associate the gesture with leaving him alone. According to an article in the Miami Herald, dogs like classical music or easy listening jazz and it’s definitely worth a shot. I think Marty prefers country western music! Also be sure to factor in a walk or some playtime before you walk out the door.

Eat a Healthy Breakfast

It’s not uncommon for most of us to start our morning off with a cup of coffee or tea. But beyond that, essential nutrients may not be part of your morning routine. Breakfast is said to provide brain-boosting power after a night of fasting. Nutrients like Vitamin B, fiber, folate and iron can only be gained through real food. It’s been noted that eating breakfast has a variety of positive effects on the body, including heart health.

You are less likely to feel famished by 10 am if you start your day with breakfast. You can think more clearly and weight control. My favorite is a poached or boiled egg, a slice of wheat toast and a few slices of avocado. I also enjoy a smoothie with chia seed, spinach and an assortment of fresh fruit. Whatever you decide, you will start your day off on the right foot by fueling your body and your brain.

For more information check out The Protocol School of Texas. You may also like How to Confidently Make a Speech. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on The Huffington Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.