Prisha Singh
Getting back into the work environment after taking a break can be very challenging.
Whether you were on maternity/paternity leave, had an injury, health problems, etc. Here are some tips and tricks that will hopefully make it an easier adjustment to make:
1. Take it slow
For whatever reason it was that inquired you to take a break, coming back can still be
difficult. It is best to slow yourself down and only do things you feel comfortable doing.
It is as well as important to take time out and put thought into what you really want to do
and what steps you are required to take in order to reach your goal. It is not always a
good thing to push yourself, you need to know what your boundaries are.
2. Start part time
It is better to ease into going back to work. There are many ways you could do so;
volunteer (if able to) and see how capable you are to work with others and being in a
leadership role.
3. Get advice from others
It is always nice to hear others' experience on how it went for them with going back to
work again. As well as provide you with strategies to make it easier for you. Sometimes
the advice you hear is something you don’t want to hear, but it is the truth and that can be
hard to accept sometimes. As well as many people post their experience on social media
which can be really helpful.
4. Make sure you are ready to go back
It is essential to feel prepared and confident when going back to work. It is already hard
enough as it is going back and you do not want to make yourself feel worse by not being
ready. There is no shame in not being set on going back, everyone takes a different
amount of time feeling apt. Sometimes going back ensures that you are ready.
5. Be open to change
A lot of times, starting work again, your expectations are very different from reality. This
is not necessarily a bad thing, change can be really good at times. It is like a much needed fresh start. As well as it is important to be open to more experiences and making
compromises.
6. Focus on your basic skills
As I mentioned earlier, getting right in there can be very difficult and it is better to take it
slow. That is the same with skills. You want to focus on your transferable skills like time
management or organizational skills instead of skills that specifically apply to that certain
position. When going for your interview, explain how your skills will be beneficial to the
employer and how you would use them everyday. I really hope these tips gave you some clarity when it comes to maybe going back to work. As well as with the pandemic striking and having many of us working from home, the transition from my personal experience was very hard so I imagine how it must have felt for others.
Work Cited
“Seven Tips for Reentering the Workforce | Monster.com.” Monster Jobs, 2020,
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/going-back-to-work.
Accessed 24 November 2021.