Life is full of surprises that are both good and bad regardless if it is a relationship on the rocks or financial ruin. Personal issues must stay out of the workplace as they can impact your performance negatively. There are those people that dive into their work as it acts as an escape from their personal life. Others might get distracted and a drop in productivity is almost always going to be noticed by management especially if it is a top performer. Compartmentalizing will take practice but can help you in a variety of areas of your life. The following are tips to dealing with personal issues and not letting these problems make their way into your professional life.
Divorce
Not all divorces have to be wildly contentious as an amicable divorce can occur. Getting an attorney is always important during divorce proceedings as you want everything to be allocated fairly. Asking to work from home can allow you to make it to appointments with your lawyer. Most managers will be understanding about this as a large number will have likely gone through a similar situation. Dive into your work as mentioned above during this time. Nothing is better than thriving in your new life and what could be better than receiving a promotion as your divorce is finalized?
Troubled Teenager at Home
Troubled teens can be almost impossible to deal with and you will likely have to take off a day or leave early due to your teen. You need to make management aware of this issue as they can be far more understanding if they are informed. This is one of the toughest things that parents have to deal with as certain teens never grow out of their rebellious phase. Get your teen the help that they need and make sure you stay employed no matter how bad life is in your home.
Financial Hardship
Money problems can follow you for years due to mistakes you made when you were young. In today’s world, COVID-19 has resulted in people that have been financially stable for years losing their jobs, homes, and professional pride. If you are lucky enough to have a job, you should ask if there are any ways that you can make extra money. Do not ask this if you are struggling in terms of performance as this could rub management the wrong way. Freelancing can be a great way to earn supplemental income or a full-time income over the course of time. Take time to assess your skills as you might find your knack for writing can earn you thousands of dollars per month.
Death in the Family
A death in the family is going to impact you emotionally so it is important to mourn appropriately. Deaths can stay on our minds for years but this is no excuse to bring these thoughts/feelings into the office. Take the time off of work so you can spend time with family as this can assist in the healing process. Asking to work remotely during this time can allow you to save your paid time off days while grieving appropriately.
Keeping personal issues from impacting your professional performance will take practice. Everyone has personal problems to deal with, just do not allow them to turn into a professional problem due to a lack of productivity.