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I'm Back!

Returning to Work after an Extended Absence

Let's face it: life happens. We get sick, we take time off to care for aging parents, we have babies, we take sabbaticals to travel, or to go to school. All of these important events are part of a rich and complex life.

However, returning to work after a long absence can be just as challenging as being away. It can also be challenging for your boss, who has to help a colleague make the transition back to work.

So how do you do it? How do you learn about everything you missed while you were gone? How do you adjust your goals, which may now have changed, to fit with your work environment? And how to you readjust to the discipline of the workplace?

Plan Your Return

When you choose a time to come back to work, discuss this with your boss. Make sure you decide on a date that's easy for both of you. If your boss is managing a big project for the next three weeks, then try to return after this. If possible, it's usually better to choose a time when things aren't too busy.

You might want to discuss returning in smaller steps. For example, you could work one or two days per week, then increase to three days, and then go back to full-time. A slow return can be much easier than ...

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