Why I resumed English during my return-to-work program
When I was on leave due to adjustment disorder, I was able to keep studying English. The reason is simple: 'English did not blame me.' I am writing about my experience for those who want to start something while in a return-to-work program.
It was about three months after I had started my leave due to adjustment disorder.
I was able to attend the return-to-work facility. I was able to wake up in the morning. However, the feeling that 'I feel like I can work again' had not returned at all.
It was during that time that I picked up English again.
The reason is simple. I thought, 'English does not blame me.'
A language that does not question work failures
The hardest part of being on leave was the voice of self-blame saying, 'I was no good.'
When I thought about work, memories of my failures would surface. The voices saying, 'Why didn't I do this at that time?' and 'I should have been able to try harder' would not stop.
But when I was studying English, those voices became a little quieter.
When memorizing words, checking grammar, or listening to podcasts, there were no memories of work there. English did not know my 'failed self as a company employee.'
The feeling of 'starting from zero' was comfortable
My English studies during rework were a complete restart from the beginning.
IELTS reference books were pulled out, and I started by reviewing junior high school grammar. That was all at first. 15 minutes a day.
Progress was visible. I could read a little more than yesterday. I could understand a little more than yesterday.
At work, there was pressure to show 'results.' But with English study, I had no obligation to report to anyone. I could proceed at my own pace, just for myself.
That feeling might have been what I needed during my recovery period.
Rehabilitation by stacking up 'things I can do'
There is something a staff member at the rework facility told me.
'Rehabilitation for returning to work doesn't start with whether you can do your job, but by stacking up whether there is something you can do.'
Studying English became one of those things I could stack up.
"I learned five words today," "I listened to a podcast for 15 minutes today."
Those small things helped me gradually regain the feeling that I could still move forward.
Recommended ways to engage with English during the recovery period
I will introduce what I tried, in order of lowest effort.
1. Listen to podcasts (almost zero effort)
BBC Learning EnglishOfficial Site, 6 Minute EnglishOfficial Site, etc. The ease of "just listening" made it easy to continue.
2. Vocabulary apps, 5-10 questions a day (within 5 minutes)
Using AnkiAmazon or QuizletOfficial Site, only when I felt like it. The goal is to accumulate a record of having "done it."
3. Read short English texts (10-15 minutes)
Short news from The GuardianOfficial Site, or the BBC News siteOfficial Site. Definitely less burdensome than long texts.
Using QuillBot Official Site to play around by converting the English text you read into Japanese, then back to English, then back to Japanese, is also a good brain warm-up.
If the load becomes too high, just go back to the previous stage. During the recovery period, "not stopping completely" is more important in the long run than "continuing to do it."
The Surprising Connection Between English and Mental Health
When I talk about this, people sometimes say, "You were able to keep going because you liked English, right?"
Half of that is correct. But the other half is not.
English was not a "hobby for escapism" either. It was a thin thread to the future, a thought that "I might be able to use this again someday."
Continuing English while on leave was useful after I returned to work. When I had the opportunity to read English documents for an Agency for Cultural Affairs project, I thought, "I'm glad I kept at it back then."
The meaning of continuing something during the recovery period isn't immediately clear. But there are times when, after you've kept at it, a place to use it appears.
If you are currently in a period where you think, "I want to do something, but I don't know where to start," English might be a pretty good option.
You can proceed at your own pace. You don't have to prove your results to anyone. You can listen to the voices of people all over the world.
Don't rush, one step at a time.
Shitsukan / Rework Avert
MA in Museum Studies (University of Leicester, Merit) | Engineer | Rework participant
#MentalHealth #AdjustmentDisorder #LeaveOfAbsence #Rework #EnglishLearning #EnglishStudyMethods #ReturnToWork #HowToSpendRework #ThingsToDoDuringLeave #SelfCare #RecoveryPeriod #SelfTaughtEnglish
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Why I resumed English studies during rework
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