Getting back into work often leads to starting a new routine which can be exciting yet overwhelming. Time management is important in these cases, both inside and outside of work to ensure we can perform at our best.
Maintaining a great work/life balance is important, meaning managing time outside of work is important too, to ensure you have time to do things that bring you peace, help you relax and that make you happy.
When starting a new role, be sure to check with your line manager or HR who the key contact is to speak to, should you come across any issues or need any support with either workload or personal issues. Have regular, perhaps, quarterly check ins with this key contact to discuss anything that might be on your mind, or simply have a coffee (it’s always refreshing catching up with others!).
Drive new initiatives. If there is a particular aspect of the role that is bringing you down, or you think can be improved, speak about it with others, welcome new perspectives and collaboratively discuss pain points that you can then find a solution for. To show further project management skills, it might be useful to set time aside every quarter to catch up on how initiatives you have kicked off are currently evolving, if they need amending, as well as discussing any further pain points may have arisen. Educating yourself and others around the importance of understanding mental health in the workplace will also help overcome common barriers and create more of an open working environment.
Being relatively new within a company might also add slight pressure in terms of working hours; making you feel like you should be working around the clock. It is important that you do not do this, and you set boundaries so your team and colleagues know your working style, whilst perhaps also realising they might even need to cut their own working hours! Work smart, meaning be productive. Don’t sit at your desk till 10pm just to prove to somebody that you’re online. It doesn’t mean you’re productive and can often have the opposite impact. Think about when you’re most productive at work, and work around that.
If you are working from home, it is very easy to slip into working earlier or later because we are already at the comfort of our own home, however it is even more important to think about logging on and off on time, to allow yourself to switch off from work properly. When working from home, it is easy to feel like all aspects of our life, from work, cooking, relaxing, kids.. whatever your life consists of, pretty much turns into one big blur. This can have a negative impact on us as individuals as it can feel like there is no escape. I would therefore encourage to set some time aside to find your happy; whether that be a long walk, listening to your favourite podcast or even just indulging in your favourite ice cream in front of the tv.
Mind have put together a great summary on how to maintain your mental wellbeing at work here.
By Priya Tank
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
The benefits of identifying yourself as a carer: Around 10% of the UK population are unpaid carers to a loved one. However, for many, they do not identify themselves as carer’s and see looking after a vulnerable person who is close to them as just ‘something they do.’ Around 1 in 4 carers took over 5 years to identify as a carer.
For those who do not identify as being a carer they may perceive the support they give as a normal part of the relationship they have with the person they are caring for.
There may also be a fear of intervention if the carer label is accepted.
However, failing to recognise that you are in a caring role can make it difficult to get the vital support you need to enhance both the lives of yourself and the individual(s) that you care for.
Here are some valuable benefits of identifying as a carer that help will reduce the burden and increase the quality of your life.
Finances
If you care for someone for at least 35 hours a week you may be eligible for Carers Allowance. This provides financial support of £67.60 a week. For each week you get Carer’s Allowance you’ll be entitled to get National Insurance credits. There are also other potential benefits such as support from your local council or a Council Tax Reduction.
Reduce isolation and loneliness
If you recognise that you are caring for someone, you can access a wide range of compassionate networks that are there to listen, support and assure you that you are not alone in your journey. You can seek advice and exchange experiences with others who identify as caregivers through local support groups, which might help you feel less isolated.
Physical health
Caring for someone can be physically demanding, such as lifting them on a frequent basis. By identifying yourself as a carer, you may be eligible for practical assistance that will improve your physical well-being. This assistance may include equipment to make caring for a loved one easier, such as a hoist to assist with lifting, and can be accessed through your local council.
Employment
Employers being aware of your caring role can help them to be more understanding of your position. You have a lot of obligations to juggle, and if your boss is aware of this, he or she will be more sympathetic to your needs. They can provide helpful solutions to reduce the burden of being both an employee and a carer through ways such as flexible hours which you are entitled to request after six months within your role.
By Tabitha Desmond
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Returning to work after a long time might be overwhelming, and can often lead to feelings of anxiety and nervousness; it is normal.
The best way to deal with this, is to not push away these feelings, but deal with them by reminding yourself just how brilliant you are, and regaining confidence that you are able to fulfil the roles and responsibilities of your job.
Nervousness and anxiety can stem from many things, whether it is attending work for the first time (in a long time), leaving family members at home, or just being around new people. In order to become our best selves, we must be confident, calm and open to learn. There are also practical techniques here, which you can practice to manage feelings of anxiety, to find your calm, and to relax.
Self confidence isn’t something that comes naturally to some of us, and it often requires a lot of self care and self awareness. So, before you start you job, perhaps think about the following:
– Recognise what you’re good at. Remember they hired you for a reason, and remind yourself of your skillset and what you are capable of. What do you want to achieve? This focus will encourage motivation which will help being proactive at work.
– SELF – CARE. When do you feel most at home, where is your happy place? When you are lying in bed peacefully? During meditation? Exercise? Music? Find your home. Whatever it is that makes you feel at peace, do that.
– Be open to try new things, open to learn and open to build new working relationships.
– Instead of comparing yourself to others, think about what you can learn from them, and what they could learn from you.
– If there is an element of your job you’re worried about, read more about it, search it on YouTube and make a few notes.
– Take care of yourself. Get a good nights sleep and drink plenty of water.
More importantly, be present and enjoy and embrace everyday. Understand that you are still growing and learning, working on ourselves all the time so don’t be too hard on yourself if you make any mistakes. Mistakes are essential whilst developing in our careers!
If you want to read more on how to build yourself self confident at work, you can click here.
By Priya Tank
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Feeling anxious about meeting your colleagues for the first time or feeling overall nervous for your first day back in the office?
After a few years of uncertainty, it is important to highlight that you are probably not the only one feeling these nerves, and settling into a ‘new normal’ is as aspect of life that many of us havefeared as it marks a new beginning. New beginnings do tend to be daunting, and landing yourself a new job comes with new colleagues, new roles and responsibilities and a new office! Change is exciting, and an aspect of life that should be embraced, as it often leads us to new opportunities and depths of ourselves we wouldn’t reach without it.
A few top tips:
Be prepared:
Be organised; the day before, plan your day, your outfit, your commute and even the small things like what you will have for breakfast. If it helps, you could make a note of all of the things you’d like to get done during the day, a to-do list is always helpful, more so for the satisfaction of crossing things out once they’ve been actioned! If you’re feeling anxious the night before you attend the office, be sure to read the NHS top tips, and get an early night.
Take time for you:
What makes you feel at peace? Is it yoga, meditation, a simple walk? What about listening to your favourite song? What makes you feel grounded? Whatever it is, do that. It is often difficult to make time for yourself, especially after caring for somebody else, but it is evermore important to do this to ensure nerves are relaxed and we can perform at our best. Whatever your peace is, utilise it to the fullest.
Stay hydrated:
Water contains natural calming properties which help when feeling anxious, and can also provide feelings of relaxation. In addition to this, having a cold shower also encourages the release of cortisol which is also a stress-inducing hormone. You can read more about it here. Make sure you have a bottle of water with you throughout your day!
Once you’re in the office, I would recommend asking lots of questions, be aware of your body language, and be available to your buddy/manager to ensure you are learning lots and doing your best to fulfil your role. Take notes when you can, and if you can’t ask a question there and then, make a note and be sure to ask your manager at a more appropriate time. indeed.com have some useful tips here.
By Priya Tank
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
After taking some time to care for somebody, it can be difficult getting into the habit of having more free time to yourself and wondering how to get into work. There are a lot of emotions you might run into whilst trying to find a job, from worrying about the caring you were previously doing and how to fulfil your time, to wondering what it is you want to start doing again, it might perhaps be something brand new, or could be in an industry you have worked before?
To kick off your job search, whether it is paid or unpaid, it is worth reflecting on the skills you have gained from your role as a carer, and what it has taught you. Additionally, it is also important to highlight where you see your new role taking you, and thinking about the following questions:-
– how can you best apply these skills you acquired being a carer to the role you see yourself doing?
– when do you find yourself most happy? Take this into consideration when you are applying for new roles
– Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time? Consider this both professionally, and personally
Once you have an idea of which avenue you would like to take, it would be helpful to research search various job profiles of what is usually required to then integrate into your CV and whilst talking to recruiters. Creating a LinkedIn profile is also super helpful, as you have direct access to jobs that are available and can also make yourself directly available to both relevant recruiters and companies who have roles available.
A few LinkedIn tips:-
– Always have a profile photo
– Change your settings to allow recruiters/companies to message you, should they have relevant roles available
– Write a short biography for your profile which aligns to the roles you see yourself fulfilling
Emotionally, it can be difficult getting back into work, and starting a new routine, especially after dedicating so much of your time to somebody else, however it is also important to look after yourself. It is important to find what is right for you and whilst job searching and beginning a new routine may be challenging, it will be beneficial in the long-run. This does not mean we dismiss any feelings of being nervous, scared and anxious, it does however, mean that we find ways of dealing with these negative feelings; this could be exercise, meditation, cooking, reading. Everybody is different, everybody is on their own individual path, and it is important to focus on yours, get yourself where you want to be, and enjoying the journey.
Getting back into work By Priya Tank
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Evidence that the pandemic has affected carers significantly more than non carers is growing, and it points to carers being affected in all areas of their lives. The Office for National Statistics has just published a report that shows hard hitting evidence about the ways that carers have been affected, all to their detriment. You can read it here:
In terms of work, it shows that carers are more likely to work part time, and more carers have had to give up work during the pandemic. There are also more carers in the 55 to 64 age bracket than other age brackets. If you are a carer, this means that you will have to break several barriers to work in a competitive market. In addition, if the main caring activity is to be available at all times (ONS Report, cited above), this will impact on your being able to physically be in a work place.
However, the job market itself has changed massively due to the pandemic. We know that there are vacancies in all sectors, especially hospitality, health and social services, IT, food production, manufacturing, especially in terms of protective gear, and information and communication, to name a few. Now that we are starting to open up again, demand for staff is growing. In addition, the traditional office workspace is undergoing a sea change, with more employees working from home, and employers implementing blended work patterns.
This then may be an opportunity for carers looking to get back into work. Reed have reported that 91% of all job applications at the moment are for `work from home’ jobs. This may be ideal for carers who want to work, but do not want to compromise their caring responsibilities. The urge to fill job vacancies may mean that employers are more willing to consider flexibility in terms of hours, and may pay more for certain skills. This is where the valuable transferable skills that carers have could come in.
If you are thinking about returning to work, think about your transferable skills, not least being able to juggle several tasks at once. Many people now are thinking about working in sectors they have never worked in before, and there is willingness on the part of employers to consider everyone on their merits and ability to do the job, as opposed to real experience in the industry. You can also gain virtual experience in some sectors, so think about your skill fit. This is a time of enormous change for the job market, and it would be well to position yourself to take advantage of new opportunities.
You need to think about how you present yourself, and how you can put your points across succinctly and powerfully. The Working for Carers Programme offers advice and support to get carers back into work, and have had success in getting carers back into the workplace despite the pandemic. In addition, they offer workshops on workplace resilience, workplace rights, and coping with new circumstances. They are a valuable support if you want to go back to work, but do not know how to go about it. You can find out more about them here:
Many carers are worried about whether they will lose their Carers Allowance if they go back to work. This is not the case, but there is a cap on earnings for Carers Allowance. You can earn up to £128 per week before Carers Allowance is affected. For more information, please see here: Carer’s Allowance – Citizens Advice or go to the Citizens’ Advice website.
It is a changing world out there for people in work, or who are looking for work, but there are opportunities. This could be the time that you, as a carer, could get something back for yourself. You have nothing to lose by trying, and a lot to gain, for yourself and your community.
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers,aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund. Contact Working for Carers on 020 8868 5224 Ext 218/208.
