Health Beat

As the world slowly returns to what it used to look like, there will be new stressors for those who’ve been home these past months. When you return to the workplace, you may have to find new child care options. You’ll have to re-reestablish routines you had months ago that you and your family took for granted. If you’ve been home, you may have been living an insular life that gave you a sense of security against the virus. But now you’ll be among others. Another stress point. Expect to find a new cleaning routine at the workplace. You’ll be reminded to frequently and thoroughly wash your hands and keep your hands away from your face. Cleaning and disinfecting of work surfaces including computers, telephones, even the items in a company lunchroom have become routine, or should have, for those who’ve been at the job through all this. You may be required to complete a wellness form every day before coming to work to be allowed into the workplace. Recognize that with a return to your old schedule, you may have to adjust your sleep schedule. Adequate sleep is key to staying healthy. Every one of these changes can ramp up your stress. And research finds we are already stressed, with calls to emotional support hotlines at new levels. If you have access to emotional support, use it if you feel the ‘new world’ is becoming overwhelming. And if you’ve been in the workplace during this time, your stress levels may also rise as co-workers return and are not familiar with the changes that have transpired. The ‘new normal’ will take time to adjust to. If we’re all patient with each other, we’ll work it out.