On January 24, 2022, the Department of Health announced 24,938 new COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. Some people suspect that the surge in cases was caused by the highly contagious Omicron variant, while others believe it was due to the holiday gatherings. Regardless, there’s no doubt that a lot of people have been infected by the virus. It can be quite anxiety-inducing and often extremely stressful, especially when returning to work after recovering.
According to Obrenovic et al. (2021), who conducted a study on the threat of COVID-19 on job insecurity and depression, many of their respondents reported having negative emotions in response to extreme lifestyle changes, which in this case is the pandemic. These negative emotions came from job insecurity, specifically economic slowdown, recession, paycheck reduction, growing unemployment, and poverty. At the beginning of the pandemic, there were a lot of people who lost their jobs, their businesses, and struggled to earn a living. Now that we are slowly adjusting to working and running businesses, the next hurdle to overcome is alleviating return-to-work anxiety.
Going back to work after being infected poses a lot of questions: What are your boundaries? What are the rules of being around other people? Understanding your own worries and fears can help you cope with return-to-work anxiety, and there are a few things you can do to achieve this.
Having a reliable source of information can ease your worries about the pandemic because it provides data on the general state of the world. Being informed allows you to properly prepare for work and what steps you should take to stay safe. Sometimes, the information can become overwhelming, so take a break from the media whenever it doesn’t put your mind at ease. It's also important to be careful with what you share. There are plenty of people who are also going back to work, and sharing fake news can cause unnecessary fear in both you and the people around you.
Going back to work after getting the virus can be frightening, especially when you need to be around other people. For your own sake and peace of mind, take the time to reflect on boundaries with coworkers, superiors, or other people you need to meet with, and inform them of your situation. Whether you go out to lunch or attend a meeting, do what makes you feel comfortable.
While job insecurity is a completely valid fear, it can also make you become very unproductive. Do not let this fear consume your mind and ruin your entire day. Instead, acknowledge its existence and come to terms with it. Acknowledging your fear and anxiety is the first step to overcoming it, then take the proper measures to address the issue. Do what helps you relax–such as taking a walk, exercising, practicing mindful breathing, reading a book, or watching a movie. Regardless of what the activity is, as long as it eases your mind and reminds you to be kind to yourself, it will help manage your anxiety.
It’s completely normal to have anxiety about returning to work. There’s no set time frame for how long this anxiety will last, but that doesn’t mean you will never get over it. It helps to ask yourself questions and gauge how well you are adapting to different situations. It’s important to remember that you’re not expected to jump back into it right away. It can be scary, but what matters is that you ease back into your work routine little by little.
One more thing: don’t forget that you can reach out for help! Whether it’s friends, family, other people who have recovered from COVID, or even a mental health professional–It’s never too late to ask for help. The people around you who love and support you will surely be there to lend you a hand.
SOURCES:
Aning, J. & Santos, T.G. (2022). Omicron may be driving spike in COVID infections – DOH. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1535596/doh-omicron-may-be-driving-spike
Eden Health Team. (2021). How to cope With return-to-work anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.edenhealth.com/blog/return-to-work-anxiety/
Obrenovic, B., Du, J., Godinic, D., Baslom, M. M. M., & Tsoy, D. (2021). The threat of COVID-19 and job insecurity impact on depression and anxiety: An empirical study in the USA. Frontiers in psychology, 3162. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648572
Philstar.com. (2022). Philippines tallies 24,938 new COVID-19 infections. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/01/24/2156048/philippines-tallies-24938-new-covid-19-infections
Smith, M. (2021). Coronavirus anxiety: Coping with stress, fear, and worry. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/coronavirus-anxiety.htm
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