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Firstly, Congratulations! Whether you are returning after leave or a\nbreak, you are taking a positive first step in your future. Here are some tips to help you look after\nyourself when returning to the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tip 1 \u2013 Be Realistic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Returning to work is likely to present its own\nset of challenges, so try to pre-empt these as much as possible. If you live with others, work out a schedule\nso everyone knows what is expected of them on the days that you are in\nwork. Can someone else walk the dog,\nmake a start on dinner or put a wash on? \nDon\u2019t feel that you need to do everything on top of the day job and\ndon\u2019t be afraid to delegate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 2 \u2013 Return Midweek<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re working a traditional 5 day week, try\nto start your first day midweek. The\nshorter first week will make returning to work more manageable as you don\u2019t\nhave to face a 5 day stretch before the weekend straight away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 3 \u2013 Be Confident and own the gap<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s so easy to tie up our self-worth with paid\nemployment, but don\u2019t discount the unpaid part of your life too. Working in the home, caring for relatives,\nbringing up children or studying are all valid contributions to society. Don\u2019t fall into the trap of thinking your\nexperience doesn\u2019t count because it wasn\u2019t paid. Be confident in your own skills and\nabilities. You\u2019re just as capable (if\nnot more so) for the job than some of your colleagues!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Returning to the work can be a challenge, but\ndon\u2019t feel that you need to hide who you are. \nI can guarantee that you won\u2019t be the only person returning to work\nafter a break, so make sure that you\u2019re not afraid to own the gap. Don\u2019t hide\nthe fact that you <\/p>\n\n\n\n have had other experiences outside of\nwork. You\u2019ll probably find most of your\ncolleagues are really interested to learn more about you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 4 \u2013 Ask for help<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for help and\nsupport. If you don\u2019t ask, you\u2019ll never\nknow. Make your life much easier by\nasking lots of questions when you start. \nNo one is expecting you to be able to do everything. Don\u2019t feel that you need to. Make sure you write down what you are\nlearning so you can refer back to it later. \nWhat makes no sense at the beginning might make perfect sense later when\nyou read back through your notes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n