Now that COVID cases are decreasing and vaccine distribution is doing well, things seem to be looking up. In the days, weeks, and months ahead, many people will be returning to the office once again.....and with it, you may be surprised by your own anxiety. The 2020 pandemic changed our world and how we function within it. In October, with COVID cases on the rise, the need to social distance further meant more changes in our department. At that time, I was able to work from home and was thrilled.
I knew it was important to keep a daily routine, just as you would going into the office, and yes, I had to fight the temptation to sleep in a little longer or lounge around in jammies. During those four months, I was pretty much isolated. Not only did I work from home; I stayed home. I may have been out of the house a total of three times. I ordered groceries delivered, shopped online, and hubs might pick up take out from a restaurant here and there. Through it all, I was fine…or so I thought. Isolation is fickle and I did not realize how it had affected me. In only four short months, my hair turned gray, I packed on the dreaded COVID 20, and experienced fear of almost everything. For those of you that know me, this is so out of character and certainly not my nature. On February 18, I was asked to return to the office. Yikes! My mind was swirling. “What would I wear? Would anything fit? And my hair, oh no, my hair?” Frumpy is the best word to describe how I looked and felt. When I walked out of the house the next morning, I can’t describe the anxiety that overtook me. It took everything I had to go to the office. In that moment, I recognized that isolation had stolen my confidence, my laugh, and my zeal for life. (Fortunately, only momentarily). I can tell you that seeing my co-workers in person, not just on a WebEx, changed my attitude and outlook. Once I heard the buzz of conversation and laughter, the old me began to resurface. I can say without hesitation that it’s great to be back. I had taken so many things for granted; but now I view the world from a different perspective. I have learned to appreciate the seemingly small things that truly make all the difference in how you feel about yourself and your entire outlook on life. So....once again, now that COVID cases are decreasing and vaccine distribution is doing well, things seem to be looking up. In the days, weeks, and months ahead, many people will be returning to the office once again. I hope my experience helps you to embrace it! If you are currently isolated, be safe, wear a mask, but get out of the house.
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AuthorTammie Tuley, author and speaker, shares her expertise, tips and often hilarious adventures to help others navigate this maze we refer to as life. Archives
May 2022
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