Stop Letting Personal Issues Impact Your Work

Here are seven tips from top career coaches and psychologists to help you stop letting personal issues impact your work:

Talk with your boss or employer.

Clear and effective communication with your boss is key. If a personal matter is affecting your ability to be physically or emotionally present for your usual hours, then talk with your boss or employer immediately. “Don't wait until the quality of your work and concentration levels deteriorate further. Assure your boss that you are dealing with the issue and that your lack of focus is temporary,”

 The key here is to share relevant information: what they can expect to be different about your scheduling or work productivity, and how long the issue may persist. If an employer knows you will be a little off your game for a month, they have an idea of how to support you. It’s better to be clear and upfront than have them wondering each week what’s going on. “A good manager will be supportive, and request a colleague to help out with some of your tasks, or encourage you to seek professional help to cope with stress.

Don’t overshare.
While talking with your employer or boss is important, that does not mean they need to know every nitty-gritty detail about what is causing you distress. The same goes for co-workers. “Competence and productivity are key factors at work.  “Sharing too much about your problems could give people the wrong impression about your capabilities. Aim for a balance between having supportive colleagues and sharing personal dramas down to the last detail.” At the end of the day, your personal matters are likely temporary, but your job (hopefully) is not. No reason to give that co-worker gunning for your office any ammunition.

Set digital boundaries.
A Pew Research Center survey found that over 50% of those respondents utilize social media at work to take a mental break or connect with family and friends. “Creating boundaries between your personal life and professional life is more difficult than ever, with both living on your phone and it being accessible 24/7. Turning off personal e-mail alerts, deleting social media, and even setting your phone to do not disturb while in the office. On the flip side, after work,  turning off push notifications for work e-mails, adding, “this will really allow you to check out for the day and focus on self-care.”

Compartmentalize.
Aside from setting digital boundaries, setting mental boundaries is just as important. Kim Littlefield, a career management executive, says, “Make a commitment that, while you are at work, you will focus solely on work.  Put your personal issues ‘in a box’ on a ‘mental shelf.’ Tell yourself you will deal with them at another time.” She added, “Sometimes, whether the personal issues are positive or negative, we allow ourselves to become absorbed in them while work that needs to be done continues to pile up, resulting in added stress.”

Look into your companies Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
EAP’s are employer-sponsored intervention programs designed to help employees work through and resolve a wide array of personal issues such as substance use/abuse, financial stressors, family and marital struggles, and other emotional issues. Lisa Barrington, a certified human resources professional, recommends employees find time in their schedule to get the EAP’s number and register for a meeting with a counselor. “Sometimes just talking to a neutral person, or just talking through your issue out loud, is enough. “If you need more assistance than just talking, they can help you or refer you appropriately.”

Take time off.
Do not fall into the 43% of millennials who view themselves as work martyrs. If you are experiencing a personal crisis affecting your work, take time off. “Your employer will be better off having you ‘fully engaged’ for four days of the workweek than partially engaged for five days. Taking the time now can save you from prolonging your stressors and producing sub par work product.

Get your emotional needs met.
Board certified psychiatrist, Dr. Celia Trotta, says, “try to depend on your social support network… these could be friends, family, and spiritual leaders.” She also recommends, depending on the issue, seeking therapy if you are not already in it, or increasing the frequency of sessions if you are already in it. Utilizing self-soothing coping skills while at the office such as using stress balls, drinking tea, or practicing mindfulness for a few minutes at a time are also useful practices.

When something is consuming your mind entirely and making it difficult for you to concentrate, it can be easy to start sharing with anyone who will listen. However, work is not the place. Make sure to provide all relevant information to any co-workers and bosses who will be directly affected then refocus your efforts to getting your job done and taking care of yourself. Once the crisis has passed, remember to express gratitude to those who were supportive and patient with you.



SOURCE: /www.forbes.com