If you live in Louisiana and are going through a divorce, you might wonder how you can manage the emotional and logistical aspects of the process while also continuing to perform at work. There are a few steps you can take to get through this.
Take time off
First, if you have some leave available, you should take it as needed. You will need some days here and there to process what you are going through and deal with your emotions. On those days off, you should devote yourself to what you are feeling and to self-care. This can help you face the divorce head-on while also doing the compartmentalizing necessary to stay productive at work.
Talk to your boss
Depending on your workplace and your relationship with your supervisor, you might want to have a conversation with your boss or a colleague about the fact that you are going through a divorce. This should be a brief and unemotional meeting, but it could be helpful to let them know that you will be dealing with this. If you have children, you might have to rearrange your schedule somewhat in order to deal with custody responsibilities. There may also be times when you need to take time away from work to appear in court or take care of other things related to the divorce.
The function of your job
In some ways, your job may provide solace to you. While you shouldn’t fall into becoming a workaholic, your career can be a welcome distraction. The experience of going through the divorce might even ultimately point you in a different career direction.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you are able to negotiate an agreement for child custody, property division and any other issues with your spouse instead of going to court, it could be less stressful and time-consuming. There are a number of reasons why negotiation is not always possible or appropriate, but if it is in your case, it could take some of the pressure off your work life.