How to take the reins on your post-pandemic life

by Maya Afilalo

Over half of the US population has received at least one vaccine dose, and for many, life is changing more than it has since the beginning of the pandemic—including work.

Maybe you’re being asked (or required!) to return to the office, traveling more, or fielding invitations to in-person meetings. We’re in a transitional moment, and what we do now will shape our future.

“Because plans for the future are in flux, now is a good time for you to have some influence on what the post-pandemic work environment looks like,” says Dr. Art Markman, professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin.

Be intentional about your return to work

For many of us, especially when we’re less established, it can feel difficult to ask for what we want. But be open to being surprised—your manager may be more flexible than you think.

“Asking [for what you want] shows both self-confidence and respect for your boss by acknowledging that you’re requesting, not just expecting, help,” says Rebecca Shambaugh, author, speaker, and founder of Women In Leadership and Learning. “While you may not get what you want every time, if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.”

“People in leadership positions often have strong opinions about how their employees should work, but those opinions would benefit from knowing more specifics about your experience,” says Markman. “Provide input even if you haven’t been asked for it yet.

Where to start? Markman suggests asking yourself two things: 1) what you miss about pre-pandemic life, and 2) what changes you’ve actually enjoyed.

“Think back to those bygone days when work was normal. Which aspects of that have you been unable to duplicate?” says Markman. If you’re an extravert, maybe you miss informal moments with colleagues or face-to-face meetings. Or, perhaps you’re sick of working from home, and prefer a separate work space and the chance to decompress during a commute.

Next, look at the other side of the coin: what has been a welcome change? Many introverts appreciated the quiet and privacy of working from home. Or if you live in a congested city, maybe you loved skipping hour-long drives to meetings—perhaps you moved out of the city altogether!

Prioritize one or two things you’d like to bring into the next chapter of your work life.

Make the ask

Be specific. For example, instead of stopping at, “I’m concerned about returning to the office full-time,” add, “I’d like the option to work from home at least two days a week.”

Gather information through an open dialogue, asking questions to understand your boss’s concerns. 

“One way to build on your boss’s responses during the open dialogue stage is to have some ‘what if’ responses,” says Shambaugh. “‘What if’ responses give you a way to further the conversation by suggesting specific actions that you might take when your boss makes a general suggestion.”

For example, if your boss says they’d like at least one person in the office during business hours, you might say, “What if we create a schedule for that?”

When you propose solutions, frame them as a win-win. For example, “If we don’t limit employment by geography, we could attract more talent.”

Finally, make sure you’ve thought through the implications of your request. For example, while working from home offers numerous benefits, there may be downsides. Pre-pandemic research found that “passive facetime”—just showing up to the office—unconsciously influenced managers’ perception of employees, regardless of performance. The jury’s still out on whether this will remain true post-pandemic.

Consider the big picture

This is also a great chance to step back and evaluate your career. The past year was characterized by hiring freezes and fear of an economic downturn. Many who still had full-time employment were more focused on retaining it than on their next career steps, rightfully so.

But the job market is heating up, and your current position might not be your only option. Ask yourself whether you’re content with what you do, or whether it might be time to take on something new. 

One way to figure out your next step is to “pre-write” your resumé. Where do you want to be in five years? What positions will you hold on the way? What skills, volunteer experience, or education will you need? Start at your goal, and work backward. The finished resumé will illuminate a path forward.

If you’re not sure where you want to be in five years, that’s okay, and you’re not alone!

“Nowadays people are living their lives much more fluidly, and they are staying in dynamic career motion between the ages of 22 to 35,” says Bill Burnett, Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford. “The notion that you ‘should be somewhere you’re not’ and ‘you’re late’ is a dysfunctional belief.”

Instead, he suggests brainstorming three possible lives you might lead—one in which you continue on the same path, one in which your current job no longer exists, and one in which you don’t have to worry about money. In each scenario, what would you do?

“What happens when people do these [plans] is that they realize that these three parallel lives are all pretty interesting. And doable,” says Burnett. “They also realize there are things, life ideas, that got left behind in the business of life, and they bring them back into their plans.”

Bottom line:

Now is the time to shape your post-pandemic life. Reflect on what you miss from the “before times,” and what you’ve actually enjoyed about the past year. Pick one or two things you want to carry forward, then start a dialogue with your boss about making it a reality. Finally, consider evaluating your career as a whole. Is it time to take a new step? Whatever the case, approach the next months with intentionality.