I went into this thing looking like a woman who hosts parties. I was snapped on Sunday looking like a dognapper who eats from skips.

This week, the vlog is my five tips for emerging from our bunkers and moving back into the public world of work—without bringing on a breakdown.

Get your game face on

Chuck out those knackered trackies, squish into something tailored and bribe everyone you depend on to look like yourself (hairdresser, beautician, PT, etc) for an appointment.

❌🐻 Never wear bear hats with ears in public.

✅ 🧥 Do make sure you have an extremely warm coat for outdoor dining.

Pick a pace

The invites for in-person meetings are flying in: dinners every night and clients have started holding slots for all day, in-person events in June and July. It’s THRILLING.

But we need to be careful not to tip from solitary to manic socialite via a breakdown: pick your priorities and practice saying no early.

Read the room

Google searches for the words ‘Hope’ and ‘Panic’ were higher last year than ever before. For every extrovert panting to be released into the wild, someone else is building Les Mis barricades in the hallway.

Navigate gently. Here’a grid to help judge how enthusiastic others might be to meet.

Keep your rituals

If getting through this thing has depended on a morning swim in some freezing reservoir (you loon), meditating with Buddhist monks, or fiddling with your miniature railway, this isn't the time to stop.

Increase whatever it is you do that helps you balance life. Especially when it supports your boundaries between home and work.

Take control

It’s going to get VERY complicated. Everything that was predictable is now a mess. We’re going into the office on different days, the dentist’s last appointment is at 3pm, the kids have six different drop and collection times, the gym shuts early and the administration load of track, trace and test makes Check Point Charlie look breezy.

You’ll need your:

work diary
household planner
team planner…

And don’t forget to schedule in an admin hour, as well as, you know, an actual plan for how you want life to be.

My recommendations of the week

Check out the podcast “Daisy is Insatiable” with poet Hollie McNish, which will change your mind on everything to do with sex education.

Also, Daisy’s book Insatiable is ideal if you’d rather live vicariously through someone else’s (VERY) wild twenties than go out yourself. As a friend put it to me, “It does for Les Liaison Dangereuses what Clueless did for Emma… novel of the year.”

Next week:

What your younger colleagues (really) think of you.

Christine

Staying sane(ish) through the great unlock: 5 tips