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Returning to work in early recovery is something that can leave you biting your nails, worried. So many questions about your return may go through your head. What do they know? Are they judging me? Going back to work may even trigger you. It can bring back feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. Learning how to return to work after getting sober can help you manage any negative emotions and continue your path to recovery.
Confiding in Co-workers
When you come back, an excellent way to ensure accountability may be to use a return-to-work agreement or an RTWA. An RTWA is a written agreement that lays out your employer’s expectations for your conduct and the consequences for violating these terms. The RTWA will be an excellent way to have a routine and outline what you need to get done.
Your employer or someone else at the workplace can be someone you confide in. Find someone who understands and respects what you are dealing with. Having people on your side at work is an excellent way to assure that you’re not the “talk of the town” as well. While you may want people on your side who know what is going on, it is unnecessary to tell everyone about your recovery. If you have chosen not to share, then no one has to know. You can simply tell them that you went away for a while or had a health complication. It may also help discuss this with a therapist, mentor, or close friend about what you should do or who you want to tell.
How to Find a New Job
Finding a new job after recovery can be just as stressful as returning to your previous employer. Having a full understanding of what you are going to face is very important. You will have to find a way to explain your employment gap caused by your substance use or transformational living stay. It may be difficult, and you may feel uncertain whether you should explain your circumstances. In some cases, you may have to worry about discrimination from potential employers as well. However, as long as you are taking your recovery seriously and doing what you need to do to heal, you will eventually find a job.
Coping With Stress at Work
Work can be a very stressful place. Your job may even be what was triggering you in the first place. Now that you are in recovery, you have to find options to cope outside of drugs or alcohol. First and foremost, whatever is stressing you out at work can be discussed openly with other co-workers. Often communication is a crucial factor in handling stressful situations with others.
If you have your own space like a cubicle or office, meditation can also be an option. Practice breathing techniques to calm your mind and let yourself cool down. When you practice mindfulness and meditation, you will be able to live in the present moment.
Keep Your Work and Home Life Separate
When you are a hard worker, it’s easy to overwork yourself in the workplace and at home. However, if you want to relieve stress, you should let your work stay in the workplace. When you are done with the workday, you should shift your focus to your family and spend time with them and thoroughly enjoy them without having to work.
You should also avoid bringing stress from home into your work. In this case, you may take out your stress on co-workers who had nothing to do with the initial situation. Ensure you are keeping your work and home life separate.
You Make the Rules
Your co-workers may talk about having a few drinks after a stressful day at work. Coworkers might have a few drinks during lunch, and some jobs have alcohol at work (for example the restaurant industry). It’s up to you to create new patterns that avoid triggering situations. Simple things like replacing alcoholic drinks with sparkling water or cranberry juice are one step forward in creating new habits. You may also consider telling a select few co-workers that you are in recovery so that they can hold you accountable. If you surround yourself with people who understand what you are dealing with, recovery can feel more manageable.
Ultimately the most important rule is to live your life with a routine or schedule. This will help maintain a healthy balance in life. Stress can be triggered by being overwhelmed and drowning in work due to being unorganized. Creating a schedule that begins with a healthy breakfast, workout, yoga, meditating, and time to decompress is essential when preparing yourself for returning to work.
Returning to work during recovery can be a frightening process. You may even need to find a new job. The fear of judgment and being triggered can be heavy on your mind. You may consider confiding in specific co-workers, so you feel less alone at work and build your support system. However, deciding whether or not to disclose information about your journey is ultimately up to you. You may want to consider practicing stress-reducing coping methods at or outside of work, such as meditation, yoga, and exercise. Ensure that you are keeping work and your home life separate as well, so you do not carry extra stress into environments where it is not needed. When you return to work, you have to remember you are no longer the person you once were. If you are struggling with substance use and returning to work, START UP RECOVERY can help. We deliver leading-edge entrepreneurial resources in a safe and structured luxury recovery environment, designed to transform lives, starting with rebuilding one’s relationship with self. Call us today at 310-773-3809.