Heading out of the home office and back into the work office soon? Starting to go in one day a week? While it may have been second nature to work there in January, now that it's been 5 months, here are some things to consider before your first day back.

What to wear?

Recently, I was preparing for a donor meeting. After months on Zoom, I was ready to wear a lovely summer linen dress. Until I couldn't find my iron.

Whether it is clothing that needs ironing or that you have gained/lost weight in this time, do a wardrobe check a few days before to make sure you are "seen out in public" ready.

Think food and drink

Many offices have discontinued water coolers, coffee machines, tea kettles. So be sure you have what you need for your day before you head out the door - that may include investing in a carafe or other container that can hold enough water or coffee from home to get you through your day.

Emergency desk rations

I have always been a fan of having an emergency stash of energy bars, protein bars or nuts, and some dried fruit tucked away. In an era where many small businesses are closed or operating on reduced capacity, you can't count on running out for lunch or a snack like you did in February.

Get ready for transport

Are you a transit user? Take time to find your transit pass now (pro tip, you may have to think back to what bag or satchel you used the last day you were in the office before you moved home).

Thinking of walking or biking? Take a look at a map and plan your route. Allow extra time to get to your office and to develop your route. You may also want to allow time to bike or walk more slowly so that you don't arrive at work drenched in sweat. Even if your work usually has showers, they may be closed. You may want to pack an extra pair of shoes to leave in the office so you don't have to carry them each way.

Figure out food

Your office kitchen may be closed or you may not be able to store food there. Consider getting a cooler. Pro tip - if you have neighbours who have been getting home meal delivery service, they may have a cardboard cooler you can grab when they put out their trash. You may also want to invest in some freezer packs to keep your food fresh.

Be prepared

I pack my bag to head into the office the night before so I don't leave things behind and I make a list of what needs to come home to check before I leave the office. In a time where you are going to likely be moving to and from the office and your home office for a while, keep your documents and to do list organized. Whether that is a physical list you carry with some paper files you transport or you are rigorous about making sure you save key documents on your shared drive, not on your individual computer, the more you can seamlessly move from place to place, the better.

The delayed arrival

You've arrived! You are back in your work office. Before you chat with colleagues, turn on your computer. Your office computer has 5 months of system updates to download. Mine took 45 minutes. My email took 30. So get your computer going first before you deal with next steps.

Be mentally prepared

First day back is going to be this odd mix of weird and familiar. Take your time and give yourself the emotional space about returning.

Give thanks

One way you might want to mark your first day back is to make a gift of any size to a charity. In a time when so many are unemployed in our sector, it is great to still have a job.

Hang in there team. We can use this time to build a better tomorrow.

Ann Rosenfield has been working from home since early March. Her work office will be fully re-opened as of September 1.

Cover image by Christina Morillo