I’M SO ANXIOUS ABOUT GOING BACK TO WORK

Dear Coleen

I’m a 30-year-old woman and I’ve been isolating on my own at home after my flatmate moved back in with her parents at the start of the lockdown.

At first I hated it, but now I’m actually worried about going back to normal life. Since lockdown began, I’ve only been out twice a week – once for a long walk and once to do my grocery shopping.

I think it’s affected my confidence and my mental health. Now my employers have got in touch requesting I go back to work next week and I’m worried about it.

What’s your advice?

Coleen says

I totally get this and think many people will be feeling exactly the same. I’m experiencing this even when I have to go and buy milk, despite the supermarkets using social distancing rules to keep people safe. It does feel weird emerging from your own little safe lockdown bubble.

I think you have to be careful that it doesn’t consume you and if your company can assure you that they’ve put everything in place to keep you safe, then you can also take your own precautions, such as wearing a mask, being vigilant with hand washing and so on.

I think it’s about easing yourself back into it and getting used to another “new normal”.

Naturally, many of us aren’t very trusting at the moment – first there’s a terrifying lockdown message and we’ve become used to restricting ourselves, and now it feels like it’s kind of being left up to us to make our own judgments.

Ask your boss or HR what measures they’ve put in place. But it will take time to get used to being out and about again and you’re not alone in these feelings.