Going to work when you have a serious personal issue can distract you from your responsibilities. Divorce often requires you to deal with a lot of important decisions regarding your future and is one circumstance that could complicate your focus in the workplace.
Learning how to handle your divorce without allowing it to threaten your job can help you to excel in your career despite the circumstances.
Be honest
Discussing your divorce with other people can provide emotional support, but you should use care in choosing which details to share. Oversharing with the wrong people can hurt your reputation and compromise your settlement. However, providing a brief explanation of your situation to your employer can give them an idea of your experience. This decision may encourage your employer to have a bit more flexibility if an unexpected, divorce-related commitment arises.
Honesty with yourself is also important as your ability to manage specific responsibilities may change. Depending on your situation, you may need to modify your work schedule or duties to accommodate the changes in your personal life. If you share children with your ex, you may need to adjust your availability to meet the legal expectations of your custody agreement. Being honest with yourself and others can help you maintain a realistic workload so you do not burn out.
Use boundaries
Establishing boundaries is an excellent way to keep your divorce separate from your career. According to Psychology Today, research suggests that emotional recovery from a divorce could span one to two years. Setting aside specific times to tend to divorce-related commitments can curtail the emotional impact it has on your job.
Your divorce does not have to hurt your career. Relying on legal professionals to help you prepare your case may minimize the time and effort you need to expend which may create more time for you to plan for the future.