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Garry Connolly
Mar 11, 20214 min read

Wellbeing Resources at Your Fingertips

Updated: Jul 8, 2022

In Today’s Uncertain World One Thing Remains Clear: Whether Working From Home or Going Back to the Office – You Need to Keep Taking Care of Yourself

We were told that July was going to be the new January, with most people who are currently working from home, being able to return to their offices by then. Now, some companies are pushing that out to September or, more vaguely, ‘Autumn 2021’ and a number of corporate giants, including Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft are even considering letting a big part of their staff remain home-based on a permanent basis. With the vaccination roll out moving very slowly, it’s becoming increasingly clear that there’s no definite date for a mass return to the office as yet.


What is your personal situation like?

Maybe you fell in love with working from home and don’t want to think about going back to the old ‘normal’ … ever! Or, on the contrary, are one of the 40-75% (depending on who you talk to) of office staff who are keen to get back to their corporate desks?


You may be a frontline or essential worker, perhaps working in construction, IT or communications, like many of our partner companies - essential engineers, faced with a number of health risks on a daily basis and concerned about keeping yourself, your colleagues and families safe. Add in the prolonged uncertainty and the increasing list of health & safety protocols that protect you, but don’t necessarily make it any easier to do your job. It’s no wonder that mental wellbeing has become a ‘significant safety concern’, not just in the Irish construction industry, but across many other sectors too.


According to the Citizens Information Bureau’s review of the rules surrounding

‘Returning to Work after COVID-19’, it’s an employer’s responsibility to ensure that their employees look after their mental health and well-being, especially during the current pandemic.



Returning to Work after Lockdown – Sanity Tips


The continuing uncertainty about when and how we will return to work is a valid reason for experiencing anxiety - a prolonged state of worrying. Many of us may be experiencing high anxiety for the first time in our lives. We may be anxious about when we can return to work or indeed be experiencing sleepless nights at the thought of actually returning to the office: the long commute, the endless meetings, not to mention the possible increased health risks.


In response, Mental Health Ireland has put together a brilliant Pocket Guide To Returning to the Workplace. The booklet summarises a wide array of workplace challenges and gives instant tips on how to effectively manage anxiety both in the workplace and at home.


Sheila O’Malley, a professional trainer at Irish Life Health, also has some practical tips for managing anxiety and cultivating healthy rituals around returning to work which will help us swim through the change, when it (finally?) comes.



Sneak Peek Into Your Future Workplace


Not being able to imagine what our new workplaces will actually look like may be adding to fears and anxiety. The visionary experts in ZDNet have taken a glimpse into the future of office space and some of what they foresee include:

  • Health and Safety will be the top priority

  • Cool new gadgets and technology will be popping up around offices

  • Some office space may be repurposed into child care facilities

  • Flexible workspace and hybrid working schedules (office and home) will be common

  • There will be coffees with colleagues again – just in a more orchestrated manner

And if all this still doesn’t compare to the cosiness of your home office, don’t despair, you may be saving on your commuting costs for quite a while still. CCS Insights predict that more than half of all office-based employees will still be working from home in 2022.


Finally, to get the official line, check out the Irish Government’s updated COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead document.


Take Care of Yourself, no Matter If or Where You Work


After a whole year, the pandemic has turned from being a ‘transitory’ situation to being ‘permanent’, at least for now. There has been time to adjust. A lot of awareness has been raised about the importance of well-being and mental health, many of you will have done some exploration, learning and work, in the area of self-care. Maybe you started meditating, eating more vegetables, re-evaluating the role of your relationships in your life, minding the hours of sleep you get or becoming more mindful. If not, don’t worry, it is not too late!


In case you are still looking for inspiration, we have gathered some tips, apps, suggestions, free classes and lectures for you to use and improve your well-being and mental health. Try those which resonate with you most and boost your resilience and feeling of happiness.


Can you actually measure your well-being? It turns out that this quick WHO-5 Well Being Index based test can tell you, right now, where you stand. This could be your first step to starting your more positive future. Enjoy the journey!



Mental and Emotional Wellness


Fitness, Health and Sleep Apps


Healthy Eating Tips to Feel Your Best


Nurture Positive Relationships



Garry Connolly

Host In Ireland Founder & President

 

Links to additional free COVID 19 Support Resources




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