Returning to in-person work can be a tricky process that comes with a complicated mixture of feelings. Whether you’re excited or anxious about reentry, you can expect being around other people to require a lot of energy that you probably haven’t had to expend in a while. Why is in-person interaction such a drain, and how can you muster up the energy to reconnect with your colleagues?
While some of us may be eager to share our experiences with old and new coworkers, others may not be ready to talk about the emotionally searing experiences we’ve been through over the past year and a half. We may even feel like different people than we were in February 2020. At the very least, we’ve probably grown more distant from each other and less accustomed to each other’s rhythms. For those of us who struggle with social anxiety, this can be all the more challenging. Add to that the extra energy needed to get to know new people who were hired during the pandemic whom you’ve only known virtually — or maybe you’re that new person, anxious about how to integrate yourself into your team in real life.