Going back To Work Soon?? New Work, New You
As for me, sounds like my "back to work" date is less than a month away.
I work with the public and wear a uniform. I serve people food and work for tips basically. I get along with mostly all of the staff, I'm very easy to enjoy, and I like most people, until they open their mouth, most of the time. Sometimes these teeny boppers think that the words that come out of their mouth is intellectual property. I usually listen to them, with open ears, that is until they use more curse words than normal and there isn't a reason for it. Especially when they do it in front of their boss. I curse, and my friends curse, but there is a place and time for it.
Anyways.... I have been getting ready to take charge of my job now, so that it isn't such a shock to my system when I actually have to get up prior to 11:00 am! I have been setting my alarm for 8:00 am every day. Since my job is open seven days a week, I don't really know the day or days I will have off. I hear my alarm, hit the snooze button once, and it's perfect timing to where my coffee pot is on an automatic timer so I can smell the coffee brewing while the snooze is in effect.
I have my work items in one place already, so that I am not looking everywhere for the one thing that will ruin my day, if I don't have it. I have 4 pens, my wine key, apron, money book, mints and my vape. These items are ready to go. I have already tried on all of my uniforms to make sure that they fit. It's close but I am good!!! They have been washed and pressed. I try to wash the shirts every week, just so it will have that fresh look to it. If my pants stay hung on a hanger too long, it will have that hanger dent in it. Same with if I folded my pants. So I know that I may need to wash them prior to to my first day back. My shoes are clean and dusted off. Management stated that when they call us, we have to be willing to report in 24 hrs to work a full shift, or we can kiss our unemployment goodbye. They will report that we denied work.
Everyone will be talking about what they did during COVID-19. Make sure that your story will be interesting. Boss's, managers, and higher ups will be listening. This is the time to reinvent yourself. You could turn yourself from a homebody to a virtual adventurer. Write down everything that you have done, it may not seem so mundane to someone else. You may surprise yourself with the quantity of things you did do. New recipes that you tried, books that you read, Netflix series that you may have binged on, as well as podcasts that you have discovered. Everyone is doing podcasts right now. They have been around forever, but its like a new form of entertainment for many. If you haven't listened yet, try it!! If you have, let me know what you are listening to. Once you see everything on paper, you may be surprised at how much you have accomplished. And, it's not too late either. If your list seems dull, start with the present and add to it.
When you do go back to work, try to stay away from the water cooler talk of who got fired, or who didn't show up to work and why. Many people are going to be under different constraints. They may be giving up their job because they couldn't find child care or one of their family members is sick. Right now, gossip isn't what you want to be known for. Many companies will be opening under shaky ground, unsure if they will be able to survive in the new economy. Do not put yourself in a position to where if the manager has to lay someone off, don't put yourself in the position of being considered.
Go to work prepared. Managers will take note. This pandemic was pressure. Show them that you handled it perfectly. If you have a family, make sure you brag about their accomplishments during this time as well. Shows productive, under pressure teamwork. Your children learn a new craft like quilling or origami. Perfect, brag about it.
People are going to show up to work, expecting the same, mundane, daily routine. Is there anyway you can implement some sort of change? However small. Sometimes smaller is better, it means you are paying attention to the smaller details or a process as well as your respecting the main process of "if it's not broke, don't fix it" type behavior. It also shows your respect of too many chiefs, not enough Indians type of thinking.
This is the prefect time to reinvent yourself. if previously your desk was always a mess, yet you knew where everything is", may not fly right now with the higher ups. If they have to downsize, do not give them any reason to look at you. Try to start a new habit , by leaving a clean desk at the end of the day, with a "to-do" list for the next morning, I always had post-its with to do on them. They were neat, in a row of priority. Even if you have to throw stuff in a drawer, in your desk, do so. Make sure that drawer has a lock on it though. Nothing like a snoopy office pal.
Always show up at least 5 minutes early. Your hours dictate when you are on company time. If you are to start work at 9:00 am, then that means you are at your desk, ready to take that first phone call at 9:00 am. Not walking through the front doors at 9 am or getting coffee. This rule kills me and I wish I could fire people over it. I think its a total lack of respect for your boss, the company you work for as well as yourself. If you are not ready and engaged at the start of work time, then don't bother. This is always a part of reviews. Make sure your boss sees you getting coffee.... 7 minutes before your supposed to be at work. Trust me on this. The manager, boss, or owner will know that you respect the company's time. Plain and simple.
Make some commitments to yourself. Start wearing make up, get to work early, or make your work space comfortable. Show the company you are dedicated and planning on staying for awhile. When managers see personal items like pictures and awards, they know that you are invested in the company. They would view you as someone who is going to fly soon.
With many companies getting ready to open back up after a possible 2 month closure, many may not make it. They may have to revamp their process and procedures in order to survive the economic turmoil that is coming due to the over abundance of money that the government put into the economy. There will be some sort of fall out guaranteed. Businesses may not be able to recouperate from the losses in the past months that they were closed. They may have to look at layoffs, or restructuring. Give them all the reasons to think of you as an asset. Be positive, and think of what you could do to make a process easier for the company. Think about it, write about it. Engage with a manager about it.
Now, let's discuss the 9 hour, plus days that we will be working. We aren't used to it. We will have to re acclimate ourselves, as well as other family members and don't forget about the animals. Those pets have seen us every single day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With our furbabies, start to acclimate them now, leave them alone for small amounts of time, and start increasing the time, so that when we do go back to work, they wont think that the world has ended and we are never coming home. My dog is currently a Stage 5 clinger. It's getting so bad that when I shut the bathroom door, she starts to whine. I don't want to have to start sharing my xanax with her, so I need to start increasing her alone time. Where I am going to go during this time that's a good question. I am finding a lot of great, helpful resources online for pets and their anxiety and how to control it when we all go back to work.
Most important, let's talk about our family. We will all be going through long work days and withdrawals will happen. We will come to miss the days of hanging out with the family and doing almost nothing. It's a shame really. Other countries pride themselves on the work/family balance. The family that we have been spending every single day with, conversing and interacting with. It took a pandemic of global proportions for us to be able to spend family time with our loved ones. Of course there are other countries out there and have the best family benefits with their work package, it puts the USA to shame. Just remember, for those of you that were used to working 60-80 hours a week, don't. Unless you absolutely have to. Your family will be missing you. They may have gotten used to you being home more often or all of the time. If they are older, they may view missing you and wanting you to stay home like before, as a weakness. Let them know that it is okay to let you know they miss you, or are jealous of the time you do spend at work. They may understand that the more you work, the more money there is. However, I wonder how many of them would give up the more money portion to have you home more often. They really didn't know what they were missing until you were home all of the time. You may have to compromise and hopefully find an even keel to where everyone is happy.
I work with the public and wear a uniform. I serve people food and work for tips basically. I get along with mostly all of the staff, I'm very easy to enjoy, and I like most people, until they open their mouth, most of the time. Sometimes these teeny boppers think that the words that come out of their mouth is intellectual property. I usually listen to them, with open ears, that is until they use more curse words than normal and there isn't a reason for it. Especially when they do it in front of their boss. I curse, and my friends curse, but there is a place and time for it.
Anyways.... I have been getting ready to take charge of my job now, so that it isn't such a shock to my system when I actually have to get up prior to 11:00 am! I have been setting my alarm for 8:00 am every day. Since my job is open seven days a week, I don't really know the day or days I will have off. I hear my alarm, hit the snooze button once, and it's perfect timing to where my coffee pot is on an automatic timer so I can smell the coffee brewing while the snooze is in effect.
I have my work items in one place already, so that I am not looking everywhere for the one thing that will ruin my day, if I don't have it. I have 4 pens, my wine key, apron, money book, mints and my vape. These items are ready to go. I have already tried on all of my uniforms to make sure that they fit. It's close but I am good!!! They have been washed and pressed. I try to wash the shirts every week, just so it will have that fresh look to it. If my pants stay hung on a hanger too long, it will have that hanger dent in it. Same with if I folded my pants. So I know that I may need to wash them prior to to my first day back. My shoes are clean and dusted off. Management stated that when they call us, we have to be willing to report in 24 hrs to work a full shift, or we can kiss our unemployment goodbye. They will report that we denied work.
Everyone will be talking about what they did during COVID-19. Make sure that your story will be interesting. Boss's, managers, and higher ups will be listening. This is the time to reinvent yourself. You could turn yourself from a homebody to a virtual adventurer. Write down everything that you have done, it may not seem so mundane to someone else. You may surprise yourself with the quantity of things you did do. New recipes that you tried, books that you read, Netflix series that you may have binged on, as well as podcasts that you have discovered. Everyone is doing podcasts right now. They have been around forever, but its like a new form of entertainment for many. If you haven't listened yet, try it!! If you have, let me know what you are listening to. Once you see everything on paper, you may be surprised at how much you have accomplished. And, it's not too late either. If your list seems dull, start with the present and add to it.
When you do go back to work, try to stay away from the water cooler talk of who got fired, or who didn't show up to work and why. Many people are going to be under different constraints. They may be giving up their job because they couldn't find child care or one of their family members is sick. Right now, gossip isn't what you want to be known for. Many companies will be opening under shaky ground, unsure if they will be able to survive in the new economy. Do not put yourself in a position to where if the manager has to lay someone off, don't put yourself in the position of being considered.
Go to work prepared. Managers will take note. This pandemic was pressure. Show them that you handled it perfectly. If you have a family, make sure you brag about their accomplishments during this time as well. Shows productive, under pressure teamwork. Your children learn a new craft like quilling or origami. Perfect, brag about it.
People are going to show up to work, expecting the same, mundane, daily routine. Is there anyway you can implement some sort of change? However small. Sometimes smaller is better, it means you are paying attention to the smaller details or a process as well as your respecting the main process of "if it's not broke, don't fix it" type behavior. It also shows your respect of too many chiefs, not enough Indians type of thinking.
This is the prefect time to reinvent yourself. if previously your desk was always a mess, yet you knew where everything is", may not fly right now with the higher ups. If they have to downsize, do not give them any reason to look at you. Try to start a new habit , by leaving a clean desk at the end of the day, with a "to-do" list for the next morning, I always had post-its with to do on them. They were neat, in a row of priority. Even if you have to throw stuff in a drawer, in your desk, do so. Make sure that drawer has a lock on it though. Nothing like a snoopy office pal.
Always show up at least 5 minutes early. Your hours dictate when you are on company time. If you are to start work at 9:00 am, then that means you are at your desk, ready to take that first phone call at 9:00 am. Not walking through the front doors at 9 am or getting coffee. This rule kills me and I wish I could fire people over it. I think its a total lack of respect for your boss, the company you work for as well as yourself. If you are not ready and engaged at the start of work time, then don't bother. This is always a part of reviews. Make sure your boss sees you getting coffee.... 7 minutes before your supposed to be at work. Trust me on this. The manager, boss, or owner will know that you respect the company's time. Plain and simple.
Make some commitments to yourself. Start wearing make up, get to work early, or make your work space comfortable. Show the company you are dedicated and planning on staying for awhile. When managers see personal items like pictures and awards, they know that you are invested in the company. They would view you as someone who is going to fly soon.
With many companies getting ready to open back up after a possible 2 month closure, many may not make it. They may have to revamp their process and procedures in order to survive the economic turmoil that is coming due to the over abundance of money that the government put into the economy. There will be some sort of fall out guaranteed. Businesses may not be able to recouperate from the losses in the past months that they were closed. They may have to look at layoffs, or restructuring. Give them all the reasons to think of you as an asset. Be positive, and think of what you could do to make a process easier for the company. Think about it, write about it. Engage with a manager about it.
Now, let's discuss the 9 hour, plus days that we will be working. We aren't used to it. We will have to re acclimate ourselves, as well as other family members and don't forget about the animals. Those pets have seen us every single day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With our furbabies, start to acclimate them now, leave them alone for small amounts of time, and start increasing the time, so that when we do go back to work, they wont think that the world has ended and we are never coming home. My dog is currently a Stage 5 clinger. It's getting so bad that when I shut the bathroom door, she starts to whine. I don't want to have to start sharing my xanax with her, so I need to start increasing her alone time. Where I am going to go during this time that's a good question. I am finding a lot of great, helpful resources online for pets and their anxiety and how to control it when we all go back to work.
Most important, let's talk about our family. We will all be going through long work days and withdrawals will happen. We will come to miss the days of hanging out with the family and doing almost nothing. It's a shame really. Other countries pride themselves on the work/family balance. The family that we have been spending every single day with, conversing and interacting with. It took a pandemic of global proportions for us to be able to spend family time with our loved ones. Of course there are other countries out there and have the best family benefits with their work package, it puts the USA to shame. Just remember, for those of you that were used to working 60-80 hours a week, don't. Unless you absolutely have to. Your family will be missing you. They may have gotten used to you being home more often or all of the time. If they are older, they may view missing you and wanting you to stay home like before, as a weakness. Let them know that it is okay to let you know they miss you, or are jealous of the time you do spend at work. They may understand that the more you work, the more money there is. However, I wonder how many of them would give up the more money portion to have you home more often. They really didn't know what they were missing until you were home all of the time. You may have to compromise and hopefully find an even keel to where everyone is happy.
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