Returning to Office Work? 5 Ways to Prepare Your Glow Up

In the next few months, many companies will reopen their physical workspaces or, at the very least, initiate hybrid schemes. Either way, you’re likely returning to office work shortly. While there’s nothing wrong with toiling in your PJs (hey, loungewear designs have turned chic in the past two years), it simply won’t do in a more formal setting. Yes, even if you work in one of those cool The Intern-type setups.

Treat your office work comeback like you would a reunion — which it kind of is. Chances are, you either haven’t seen many of your colleagues in person for a long time or haven’t met them at all. Make a memorable first-ish impression by looking your very best on your first day back at the office. Here’s how:

At the risk of sounding corny, adopting a grateful mindset should be at the top of your back-to-work to-do list. Extensive psychological research proves time and again the holistic benefits of being thankful. A 2012 Personality and Individual Differences study shows that grateful people are more inclined to take care of themselves, while a 2011 Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being study concludes that those who maintain a gratitude journal sleep better and longer.

Experts also believe that gratitude plays a role in improving self-esteem and strengthening mental resilience. A 2014 study published in Emotion also reveals that thankful people foster friendships better.

If you don’t know where you start, perhaps you can be thankful for the situation. You still have a job and things are looking up enough that you can go back to work in a physical space.

Is returning to office work worrying you? Reentry anxiety is, understandably, no small matter. One way to counter this is to look your best. The effect of looking good is far from superficial. Yes, you’re nervous, but at least you’re assured that your appearance is A+ – and that’s the in you need to amp your overall confidence.

Beyond that, a 2015 paper in Social Psychological and Personality Science also shows that people who power-dress increase their capability in abstract thinking, which is crucial in creativity and strategy. These results reinforce findings in another study published a year earlier in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. After examining negotiations in the workplace, researchers noted that those who dressed in sweats made fewer deals than those who donned suits.

Let’s be honest: you’ll be wearing a mask about 95% of the time you’re in the office. However, unless you’re going Squid Game-style, your run-of-the-mill surgical mask won’t conceal your entire face. Make the skin that you can show off count. POND’s Triple Glow Serum will make your skin shine in that lit-from-within way. This hardworking product uses Gluta-Boost-C, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid to brighten skin, refine pores, and provide a nourished glow.

Its three-for-one quality is also ideal because you shouldn’t put on a ton of product when you’re wearing a mask lest you run the risk of clogging your pores.

You can stretch this tip to the rest of your body. Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion Flawless Glow has Hyaluron and GlutaGlow technology that enhances your skin’s radiance, giving your skin that healthy, dewy look.

Your mask can only cover so much of your face, but your hair will most like be free. Whether you have big, beautiful curls, sleek locks, or naturally wavy hair, you can keep them in place with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Serum. It fights frizz, untangles knots, and smoothens down the hair without compromising its natural bounce, so you can be ready for office work without the distraction of flyaways all over your face.

This serum, which has keratin and marula oil, also boosts shine, which can help make your hairstyle look great for your first day back!

Brushing your teeth isn’t just for other people to appreciate your minty fresh breath. Oral care is a necessary component of personal hygiene and your overall well-being. So, even though your mouth is covered, you should still brush your teeth, if only for yourself. You’re going to be smelling your breath behind your mask, after all.

In all seriousness, however, having good teeth, whether you exhibit them or not, is linked to confidence. The study “Self-esteem as a predictor of toothbrushing behavior in young adolescents” discovered a positive correlation between self-esteem and brushing frequency. Another paper, “Self-Esteem: A Hidden Concern in Oral Health,” published in the Journal of Community Health Nursing, shows that oral health and hygiene (not just pristine white teeth) affected its respondents’ self-worth.

closeup Red Hot Toothpaste answers all your dental needs. It has an antibacterial formula that can ward off bad breath and cavities. Besides, nothing will demonstrate your glow better than a great smile, even if it’s a socially distanced one.

Returning to office work may take some getting used to, but that doesn’t mean life is back to normal. Remember to practice social distancing and safety protocols. Maintaining your health is the best glow-up tip you can ever have.