How to Make it Through a Divorce Without Jeopardizing Your Job

Every year, there are more than 800,000 American couples who choose to get divorced. So if you and your spouse have recently decided that divorce is the best option for you, you should know that you’re not the only one going through it.

But even though you’re not alone in making the decision to divorce, trying to figure out how to make it through a divorce can be tricky. From finding a new place to live to dealing with the family drama that inevitably seems to come along with divorce, it can be a real challenge.

One of the toughest parts about going through a divorce is often doing it without jeopardizing your job. You won’t always feel like going to work when your personal life is in shambles.

There are ways to do it, though. Here is how to make working through divorce possible.

Speak to Your Boss About the Situation

While you might be tempted to try and create a complete separation between your home and work life, there are going to be times when your work life is affected by what’s happening at home. It’s almost unavoidable.

During these times, you may have trouble concentrating at work. Your work might even suffer greatly because of what’s happening in your personal life.

You should speak to your boss about what you’re going through and ask for understanding. This should prevent your boss from questioning your commitment to your job and shed some light on why you don’t seem to be yourself.

While you don’t have to tell your boss all of the gory details concerning your divorce, you should, at the very least, consider telling him or her that there is a lot going on at home and that you would appreciate a little bit of leeway on the job.

Avoid Telling All Your Co-Workers About Your Divorce

Telling your boss about your divorce isn’t a bad idea. But telling everyone in your office probably is.

Chances are, your coworkers will notice a change in your mood while you’re learning how to make it through a divorce. They may even ask you what’s wrong and poke and prod you for details on your home life.

But the last thing you want is for everyone to be in your business. That will likely lead to them asking you about how your divorce is going repeatedly. It will make it hard for you to get away from your home life when you’re at work.

You can tell a select few co-workers about your divorce if you want. But just be warned that they may spill the beans and tell others.

Ask Your Soon-to-Be Ex Not to Contact You at Work

Unless you and your ex are parting ways on good terms, speaking to them during the workday is probably only going to present problems.

When you speak to your ex, whether by phone or by email, you will likely experience an immediate change in mood. You will also have trouble shifting your focus back to your work once you’re done communicating with them.

Therefore, you should ask your ex not to get in touch with you when you’re at work. You should also resist the urge to check your cell phone or personal email when you’re working.

This should allow you to stay on task and to be present on the job rather than thinking about what you’re going to say next to your ex.

Steer Clear of Dealing With Divorce Matters on the Job

In addition to avoiding your ex at all costs when you’re working, you should also stay away from answering phone calls and emails related to your divorce at work.

Your lawyer may want to get in touch with you to go over some part of your divorce proceedings. Or a court clerk might try to reach out to you to obtain your signature for something.

While you will have to deal with these matters at some point, you should do it on your own time. It will help you avoid dealing with the stress that comes along with a divorce while you’re working.

Set Work Goals and Stick to Them

Just because you’re going through a divorce doesn’t mean you need to lose sight of all the professional goals you have for yourself!

Work can actually be a welcomed distraction for those going through a divorce. One great way to learn how to keep yourself busy at work is by setting a bunch of goals.

Maybe you want to finish that project you’ve been putting off for months. Maybe you want to work towards the promotion you were never able to get before because of your personal commitments. Or maybe you even want to consider going back to school at some point to get a better degree that will help you at work.

Whatever the case, setting goals and sticking to them will keep your mind occupied and off your divorce.

Take Breaks When Stress Gets the Best of You

You’re not a superhero. No matter how hard you try not to think about divorce at work, it’s going to pop up in your mind from time to time.

Rather than trying to ignore it and getting stressed out, make sure you take the time to give yourself breaks throughout the day.

Doing this will allow you to step away from your desk for a few minutes to compose yourself before getting back to work. You will have a much clearer mind and a better approach to work when you take a break every now and then.

Learn More About How to Make It Through a Divorce Successfully

There might be times when it will feel almost impossible to continue working when going through a divorce. But by finding out how to make it through a divorce while working, you can make a push to do it and find success.

Check out our blog for more tips on how to balance your personal and work life while in the midst of a divorce.