Returning to work after cancer treatment can be both exciting and nerve-racking. You may look like the same person, but you may not experience things in the same way as you did pre-diagnosis. For many survivors, this means having to find a “new normal,” to stop and reflect on their current reality and what they need to move forward. Finding the right work-life balance can become a critical part of this process.

A recently published article by the Job Network titled “Ten Ways to Practice Self-Care at Work,” by Kate Lopaze, explores why a good work-life balance — and, more specifically, self-care — is essential to a successful career. For survivors returning to work, here are three tips we believe might resonate the most:

1. Set boundaries. Know your limits and when to say no. Work can be a major source of stress. Being able to realistically assess your abilities and work around them will not only help relieve work-related stress, it will also assist you in becoming a better employee. 

2. Rethink your lunch hour. Take advantage of this block of time. Think of it as your personal time and space to take a break, exercise, listen to music, head outside — to do whatever it is you need to in order to decompress and recharge.

3. Be proactive about what you need. Address issues as they come up and consider what might help you overcome whatever on-the-job challenges you might be experiencing. If you are feeling overwhelmed and think that requesting a reasonable accommodation would enable you to be more successful at work, take time to think about what, specifically, you need; then create a plan for securing it. 

For more useful tips and tools on returning to work and balancing work and cancer, consult our articles on “Back to Work” and “Recasting Yourself After Cancer.”

To read the entire Job Network article, click here.