Nervous about working full time!

Hi all...I am looking for some advice...I am happy because I just got hired for a full-time job in my field. I have not worked consistently in about 18 months (I had a few jobs but quit them). Some of the recent jobs I had I quit because they were just totally wrong for me, and therefore stressed me out too much. However, this job is similar to one I had in the past that I actually liked, so I think I have a good chance of succeeding at this one. BUT, I am still nervous...I have spent so much time at home lately, and am used to my "alone" time. I am generally extroverted, but still need my alone time...so 40 hours a week might start to stress me out, especially since I'll be in a lot of meetings. I will also have a fairly long commute, which takes its toll. Basically, I am just wondering, does anyone have any tips for maintaining sanity while working full-time?? I obviously plan to stay on my meds and continue my weekly therapy sessions. I also have a book on dialectical behavior therapy that I am finding helpful...it helps me be more aware of my moods and what my emotions are doing to me. I really would like to make this work, especially since I have a lot of loans from my master's degree that I would like to pay off!

MaggieMay78 wrote:Hi all...I am looking for some advice...I am happy because I just got hired for a full-time job in my field. I have not worked consistently in about 18 months (I had a few jobs but quit them). Some of the recent jobs I had I quit because they were just totally wrong for me, and therefore stressed me out too much. However, this job is similar to one I had in the past that I actually liked, so I think I have a good chance of succeeding at this one. BUT, I am still nervous...I have spent so much time at home lately, and am used to my "alone" time. I am generally extroverted, but still need my alone time...so 40 hours a week might start to stress me out, especially since I'll be in a lot of meetings. I will also have a fairly long commute, which takes its toll. Basically, I am just wondering, does anyone have any tips for maintaining sanity while working full-time?? I obviously plan to stay on my meds and continue my weekly therapy sessions. I also have a book on dialectical behavior therapy that I am finding helpful...it helps me be more aware of my moods and what my emotions are doing to me. I really would like to make this work, especially since I have a lot of loans from my master's degree that I would like to pay off!

Hi

Many congratulations on the job - that is great news! I think it is natural to be nervous about getting back into work. Is there any prospect of a phased return to help you gradually get used to it or is this not possible? It might be worth talking to occupational health about this to see if it is an option as I have found this very useful in the past when going back to work. Esp as it is FT which will be a big difference to adjust to from not working. I was not very good at working healthily so dont have loads of advice but phased return is one thing. Another is makaing sure you dont take work home with you- at least not too much. Work your hours but be careful about overtime and try to keep work at work. If you succeed in this tell me how I think continuing with therapy and the DBT stuff is a good plan too - make sure that this is your priority and dont let work talk you out of attending appts. It is likely to be a bit of a shock to the system when you first go back but take it one step at a time and tell yourself you will adjust. Massive congratulations- I really hope it goes well

Hugs

Cracked

Thanks, Cracked! I wish I could do a phased return, but I don't think that will be possible...I would probably have to explain that I have bipolar disorder, which I am not ready to do this early on. I would only tell the boss that if I needed to take time off from work down the road, after I have proven myself. But no, I definitely won't be skipping my therapy appointments or working a lot of overtime...I am salaried, so there isn't much incentive for me to work extra hours...and I think it will be a fairly flexible environment, so I should be able to attend my appointments with no problem. Anyway, thanks again, I will update you on how it goes!

Some tips to help you stay sane...

Take your coffee breaks and lunch breaks. These are your down time.
But don't drink coffee. I hope you have a place where you can make a cup of herbal tea to have.
Get some fresh air at lunch time. A walk around the block will do you wonders.

Eat a healthy breakfast, something to stick to your ribs... oatmeal or bacon and eggs. Drinking a bottle of Boost on your way to the bus isn't enough.
Eat a healthy lunch. But don't stink out your neighbours. A guy in my office started to "eat right" and his can of sardines and salad dressing would make us all gag.

Get proper rest at home every night. In bed and lights out by 10:00 pm at the latest.

Find someone you can talk to about how work is going... be it a best friend, parent or sibling.
Tell them you want to de-brief the day. You don't want a whole lot of advice... just someone to listen to you.

Good luck on the new adventure.
My 27 year old son had his first day at a new job last week so I know how harrowing it can be.

Take care,