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Heading back to the office? Expert recommends setting clear boundaries and sticking to them

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For many Canadians, adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a number of changes, both big and small. But work-from-home policies put in place by businesses have meant that for many people, these changes took place within the comfort of their own homes.

As Canadians continue to settle back into the office, it can be challenging to bridge the gap between their old life and new selves, said Hina Khan, a life coach based in Toronto.

鈥淭he pandemic has [had] an emotional impact for so many of us,鈥 Khan told CTV鈥檚 Your Morning on Monday. 鈥淎nd so now, here we are鈥oing back to an old environment, but so much has happened.鈥

Khan said that for some people, changes could be physical, such as embracing grey hairs or putting on some weight. Others might also have made changes to their overall lifestyle, such as no longer smoking or making time for a walk every day after lunch.

鈥淵ou may have still been in contact with your coworkers, but virtually,鈥 said Khan. 鈥淵ou don't notice these changes [and] you wouldn't necessarily know of these things.鈥

In order to make the most of the transition back into the office, it鈥檚 important to avoid falling back into old habits, Khan said. One step that can be taken to signal your new self involves refreshing your work desk to make it more reflective of the new you.

Khan also recommends setting boundaries around work and being transparent about what they look like. This can include adding a line at the bottom of your emails to let others know when your work hours are, and creating an ideal calendar with new habits in mind so they are easier to stick to.

鈥淎s you're going back to the office, you want to be very intentional and clear about your own boundaries and what you're available for,鈥 she said. 鈥淩emove yourself from those conversations or anything that's no longer a fit.鈥

Watch the full video with CTV鈥檚 Your Morning at the top of this article for Khan鈥檚 advice on how to bridge the gap between your old life and new self.

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