Tips for returning to work after a long absence
After a break from work, getting back to the grind is hard.
Maybe you had a sabbatical, went on maternity leave or took time out from your side hustle (guilty) and are now trying to find ways to get back into it.
Taking the first steps can be incredibly daunting. Maybe you’ve been putting off getting started because it all seems too much (again, guilty as charged). Perhaps you feel lost because you are not sure how to get back into work after a long break.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. In fact, feeling anxious about returning to work after a long absence is totally normal.
There are things you can do before returning to work after a long absence and after you’ve returned to make the transition as easy as possible
I’m so excited to share some tips that have helped me to get back into blogging again and find my feet with my side hustle once more.
It’s going to take some time to get back into the swing of things, but these are some of the most helpful tips I’ve learned along the way.
BEFORE THE RETURN: HOW TO GET BACK INTO WORK AFTER A LONG BREAK
If you spend some time mentally preparing yourself for the return to work, you will be:
a) Relaxed
b) Excited about getting back to it
c) Unfazed about challenges that lie ahead
Goodbye back to work anxiety!
Here are some top tips to help you get there.
Understand your motivation
What is your motivation for wanting to get back into work?
Is it to improve your skills or gain more financial independence? Or do you want to go back to your career because you want to regain your purpose?
There are a lot of reasons why someone might want to get back into work.
Whatever your reason, make sure you understand your motivation. Write it down, stick it on the wall and keep looking back at it.
This is particularly important for remote workers. People who work from home sometimes fall into the trap of feeling unmotivated (me included), which is why crystalising your motivation is a must.
Motivation is your why. It’s what drives action. Being motivated to get back to work is half the battle.
Reflect on your time away
Taking time out gives you an opportunity that doesn’t come along very often to step back and take stock.
Look back on your time away and reflect on how you’ve developed.
What have you learned about yourself during your time off? What new skills have you acquired that you can apply to getting back into work?
As well as looking back, take time to reflect on what you want from your return to work. What’s important to you now? How does your return to work link in with your values and ambitions?
Doing some self-reflection before getting back into work can help you to feel more at ease and ready for the new challenges ahead.
Set goals
It’s one thing to be motivated to get back to work. But getting back to the grind without taking time to think about what you want to achieve could be a wasted personal and career development opportunity.
Setting goals for the short-, medium- and long-term can help you stay focused on the bigger picture.
A Harvard Business study found that just 3% of their MBA graduates had written down their goals. The other 97% either didn’t have any goals (84%) or had goals in their mind but hadn’t put pen to paper (13%). Guess what? The 3% who wrote down their goals ended up earning ten times as much as the rest ten years after graduation. Insane!
Now you’re sold on the power of goal setting, write down what you’re looking to achieve from getting back to work over the next three months, year and three years.
Once you have your goals written down, put them somewhere you will see them. Look back at them regularly to help keep you on track.
Create an action plan
It’s no good to set goals and not know how to achieve them.
Once you’ve set your goals and decided what you want to achieve, you need to put together a step-by-step plan to get there.
Start by making a list of the things you need to do to get back to work. Are there any skills you need to brush up on? Can you take any courses to improve your knowledge?
Then put your list into action! If one of your actions is to upskill, perhaps take some online courses or listen to some personal development podcasts. There are so many amazing resources online that will help you get there.
Your action plan is basically the road map to your goal. Do whatever you need to do to make achieving your career goals a reality.
Network
Attending networking events – either in-person or online – can be a great way to bolster your confidence after taking a break.
Building your network will help you to make connections with people who share your values and who can help you get what you want out of your career.
Being around people in your industry will help you to engage in meaningful conversations on the key topics affecting your sector. This not only helps to improve your awareness of the things that matter right now in your sector, but will also make you feel better prepared for the big return.
Networking is particularly important if you’re still looking for a new job.
The people you meet could be the people who hire you, so making an effort to connect with them now could provide a great boost to your job search.
Once you’ve done your networking, don’t forget to follow up! Drop useful contacts a quick LinkedIn message or email to let them know you appreciated your discussion and would like to stay in touch.
Get organised
One of the most important things to remember when you’re returning to work is to get organised.
I know this seems like common sense, but organisation can easily be overlooked when getting back into work after work after a long break.
Gone are the days of taking each day as it comes. Schedules, deadlines and meetings are looming once more.
Time blocking can be your friend when you’re returning to work. This is a technique championed by many productivity pros and is the practice of blocking out certain hours of the day to complete certain tasks. This allows you to maximise your time. It can also be a great method for slotting in hobbies and side projects alongside the day job.
I’ve found time blocking and task batching to be really useful in helping me to stay focused. By segmenting my time, I’m less distracted and can get more done in less time.
If you plan to work from home, you also need to organise your home office. Make sure your work space is tidy and ready for action. Maybe it’s time to re-energise your home office to help get you back in the zone.
AFTER RETURNING TO WORK
You’ve done all the mental preparation. Now it’s time to get back to the grind!
By taking time to reflect and set your career goals, you probably feel more confident about returning to work.
That doesn’t mean to say the nerves will have disappeared completely. Anxiety has a sneaky way of creeping back in, particularly when you’ve been out of action for a long time.
The tips below are things you can apply after you’ve got back to work. They will help you to stay on track and continue to feel good about your return to work.
Form and keep healthy habits
Returning to work can mean that staying healthy slips down your list of priorities.
Suddenly you have a full schedule and feel like you’re glued to your desk to prove you’ve still got it.
But staying healthy is key to keeping your mind in the right space. Having your brain in top working order will help you to cope with the demands of getting back to work much more effectively.
Staying active and eating right are crucial for helping you to be your best self at work. Food has been proven to boost mood and ease anxiety, while exercise can improve creativity and time management skills.
Luckily, working from home can make it easier to integrate healthy habits into your day.
Instead of reaching for a supermarket sandwich, use your kitchen at lunchtime! Try using leftovers to whip up a quick, nutritious lunch. If you have time at the weekend, batch cook some healthy lunches and freeze them so that you have a selection of healthy, home-cooked microwave meals ready to go!
Working from home means you have a little more flexibility than being in the office. No one is there to scold you for taking a quick five-minute break.
Use this to your advantage and go for regular exercise breaks. A quick walk outside is not only good for your physical health but is great for clearing your mind. You can even squeeze in a YouTube workout during your lunch hour or before work if you’re a morning person!
Whichever healthy habits you choose, don’t neglect them. Keep investing in your health to make sure you’re staying on top of your game.
Don’t neglect your interests
After having a long time off, it’s easy to think you have to prove your worth to your employer (or to yourself if you’re a freelancer).
This can lead you spending 100% of your time on work without taking time out for yourself.
When you return to work, it’s important to not only show your employer that you’re a capable employee but also that you’re a valuable human being.
Taking time out for your interests and hobbies can do just that.
No matter how busy your work schedule, find time to do some non-work activities that you enjoy. It could be sports, crafting or something as simple as taking a luxurious bubble bath at the end of the working day. Whatever it is, make time for it.
Same goes for friends and family. Don’t neglect them because you’re busy. In fact, they might have some advice on how to get back to work after a long break. Make sure you schedule regular catch-ups with them.
Don’t let work eat up your life. Instead, mould it around your interests, friends and family.
Go easy on yourself
It can be challenging to get back into work after a break whether you’re restarting full-time work or getting immersed in your side project once more.
Seeds of doubt can start to creep in. Am I good enough? Should I have come back? Do I have any clue what I’m doing?
Letting those thoughts take root can have a detrimental effect on your confidence.
It’s important to not let your mind run away with you. It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious and nervous when returning to work after a break. But don’t let that anxiety and fear take hold of you.
Listen to your inner dialogue. The more your self talk focuses on the negative, the worse you’ll feel. You will let that negativity creep in, which will leave you struggling to focus.
Instead, take a deep breath and remind yourself of why you returned to work. You have goals, ambitions and aspirations – don’t let self criticism or negative thinking stand in your way.
Returning to work is a process. You won’t be perfect straight off the bat and that’s fine. In fact, perfection doesn’t exist so stop wasting your time and energy striving for it.
Give yourself a break. These things take time. You got this!
Review and reevaluate
Once you’ve returned to work, it’s important to regularly check in with yourself.
How does it feel to be back?
How are your colleagues treating you?
Is the work interesting and stimulating?
Do you need to improve your work-life balance?
Asking yourself these questions will help you to tune into how you’re feeling about being back and to assess whether any changes need to be made.
Making a conscious effort to do this every three months will help you to truly understand how you’re feeling and reflect upon whether you’re on track to reaching your career goals.
HOW TO GET BACK TO WORK AFTER A CAREER BREAK: FURTHER ADVICE
If you’re looking for some further tips on how to get back to work after a break, I highly recommend checking out the TED talk below by career reentry expert Carol Fishman Cohen.
She shares some practical advice for those looking to reenter the workforce – or ‘relaunchers’ as she calls them – as well as some success stories of those who are now back working.
If you’re a bit short on time, here are the key points:
- If you’re looking for a new work opportunity, you’re going to have a lot of conversations. Many of them will lead nowhere, but a handful of them will result in a genuine opportunity
- People’s view of you remains frozen in time. Former colleagues still remember you as you were before your career gap
- Relaunchers have an energy and enthusiasm for returning to work and they are at a more stable period of their lives
- Employers are often concerned that relaunchers who have been out of the game for many years lack technological skills. It’s up to relaunchers to make sure they have sufficient IT skills to do the job
- Internships and temporary positions can be a great way for people to reenter the workforce after career breaks
CONCLUSION: GETTING BACK TO WORK AFTER A BREAK
There’s no doubt that returning to work after a long career break or getting back to your side project is tough.
You might worry you’re not good enough anymore or that it will be too difficult.
The more time that goes by, the harder it becomes, even if you’re highly motivated.
Those worries are, of course, understandable but they’re not insurmountable.
By following the tips in this blog, hopefully you will have the tools to manage any nagging doubts or back to work anxiety.
I would love to hear your thoughts on how to get back into work after a break. Let me know in the comments below or get in touch!
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