Grieving over Divorce in the Workplace

 Posted on February 18, 2016 in Divorce

Dealing with divorce can be difficult. This is especially true if the marriage dissolved for painful reasons, such as an extramarital affair or abusive (either physical or emotional) behavior. It can be even more difficult if you have a job or career that requires you to be professionally on-point and put-together, even as your personal life is falling apart. Knowing how to deal with grief in the workplace can help you to surmount these seemingly unforeseen circumstances and allow you to process your divorce in a healthy, supportive way. First, it is important to understand the stages of grief associated with the end of marriage.

Stages of Divorce Grief

For partners who did not want the divorce or did not expect their partner to seek one, shock may be the first serious emotion that arises. This shock stems not only from the actual dissolution of the marriage, but also from the deeper psychological implications of the loss of the future plans you and your spouse had made together. Marriage is widely understood to be a life commitment. When the commitment is dramatically shortened by divorce, there are often heavy emotional consequences. This shock may also manifest itself as denial. Anger may come next, followed by guilt and depression. All of these emotions will likely affect the way you are able to perform in the workplace.

Communiciate

The easiest step you can take to help you deal with divorce at work is to let your boss and your co-workers in on what you are going through. Many people are apprehensive about sharing details of their personal lives at work, often with good reason. In the instance of divorce, though, sharing can not only help them to understand why you may need a little more flexibility or slack during the coming weeks, but it may help to augment your professional relationships. Studies suggest that people tend to feel more invested in those who are willing to share the burden of their grief—which in turn makes your co-workers more invested in your work and the work you may need help with during the divorce process.

Legal Advice

Another easy step you can take to help you deal with the grief of divorce is to speak with a qualified legal professional. Simply understanding your options and the legal procedures you will need to follow can help you to feel more in control of an uncontrolled situation. Do not go through it alone. Contact a Kane County family law attorney today.

Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gail-gross/how-to-deal-with-your-grief-in-the-workplace_b_8840656.html?utm_hp_ref=divorce&ir=Divorce

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2011/11/16/do-me-a-favor-so-youll-like-me-the-reverse-psychology-of-likeability/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/129455-seven-stages-grief-divorce/