From article: Tips for managing back-to-work anxiety after working from home through the COVID-19 pandemic published by ABC Everyday

The silver lining to 2020's pandemic for many people has been the ability to take a step back from the rat race, stop commuting and work from home.

But with the economy whirring back into gear and staff being asked to come back into the workplace, return-to-work anxiety is a very real phenomenon.

"It was like starting a new job again and I didn't like that because I really became used to having the autonomy of doing what I had to do on my own, and not having to perform in front of others," says Lucy*, a full-time employee in Adelaide.

She had only just started her job in March and had barely met her colleagues when, like tens of thousands of Australians, she was directed to work from home as COVID-19 started spreading across the country.

But Lucy found herself enjoying her new working conditions, finding a balance between work and life, and managing to increase her output due to a lack of "open-plan office place distractions".

"I was also concerned about catching public transport when we came back, and I wasn't really trusting how well other people returning to the office were practising safe hygiene and doing the right thing by continuously sanitising and things like that," she says.

Being fearful is common

Beyond Blue lead clinical adviser and GP Grant Blashki says such fears are a "common phenomenon" among his patients.

"On one hand, people are excited and relieved, but then many have trepidation with a mix of concerns," Dr Blashki says.

"Some are fearful about infection, particularly if they are older or have a disability; some have pre-existing social anxiety and have lost their social stamina to interact with people.

"But I differentiate between people who have more serious social anxiety issues, and those who have lost their mojo and are getting ready to adjust.

"Because for some, there's been that silver lining story, when they've enjoyed the time at home and getting out of the rat race with more time for reflection and families, and now they're having to get back on the train."

This includes people like mother and insurance worker Jessica Amorosi, pregnant with her second child, who found working from home gave her back two to three hours each day that she would otherwise spend commuting to the city.

"It's the work-life balance that I've found most appealing, even if there's a downfall in that you can't go out for Friday night drinks with colleagues after a hard week of work," she says.

"But I'm a mother first, so it's easier to be able to pick up my daughter at a reasonable hour, come home and make dinner, and save all that time."

She says her own employer is taking a more cautious approach to the pandemic and there had not been any "taps on the shoulder yet" to come back.

Anticipation is likely worse than reality

Psychiatrist, doctor and Australian Medical Association SA vice president Michelle Atchison says some people may be "very keen to get back into the workplace", while others may feel angry about it.

She says COVID pushed "touch points of anxiety" for a lot of people around their work and daily lives, with mental health presentations across the country increasing by about 30 per cent.

"People got the message that staying away from crowded places is what we needed to do so we did not get COVID, get very sick or die," Dr Atchison says.

"Then they say 'OK, you have to come back to work and be around people', so of course it's something that makes people feel anxious."

Tips for dealing with back-to-work anxiety

• Talk to your employer about whether you can work from home part time. Dr Blashki says an employer may allow you to come back to work gradually, starting, for example, with a half day, if it suits your role.
• Do a few trial runs and visit the workplace without having to work. "Often the anticipation of what's going to happen is worse than being there," Dr Atchison says. "The more that you put yourself in the situation you're worrying about, the better your body will be."
• Speak up if your workplace is stressful or colleagues are problematic. "You need to go through the right processes," says Dr Atchison. "With everything else we've been going through at the moment, we don't need people to also be struggling with a difficult workplace."
• Try not to self-medicate. Alcohol or other substances might help you feel relaxed about the prospect of returning to work "but it does become its own trap", says Dr Atchison.