How To Handle Personal Issues at Work | Indeed.com

A personal issue is anything from your life outside work that might make it more difficult for you to focus and perform well at work. 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CareerDevelopmentHowToHandlePersonalIssuesatWorkApril1,2021ShareFacebookEmailLinkedInTwitterNearlyeveryonewhoworksexperiencessomelifeeventsandissuesthatdistractthemfromwork.Thedeathofclosefriendsandfamilymembers,divorceandillnessareonlyafewexamples.Evenwhenyouarefacingemotionalchallenges,youstillhavetomeetyourperformanceexpectations,actprofessionallyandinteractwellwithsupervisors,clientsandcolleagues.Inthisarticle,wediscusswhatpersonalissuesatworkare,howtomanagethemandhowyoucanmaintainprofessionalismatwork.Whatisapersonalissueatwork?Apersonalissueisanythingfromyourlifeoutsideworkthatmightmakeitmoredifficultforyoutofocusandperformwellatwork.Personalissuescouldbefamilymatters,grievingadeath,healthissuesorfinancialproblems.Personalproblemscanalsoinvolvelife-changingeventssuchaspregnancyorotherprolongedissues,likelong-termillness.Personalproblemscanadverselyaffectyourworkperformance.Employeesunderstressarepronetomistakesandreducedproductivity.Theirrelationshipswithco-workerscandeteriorate.Absenteeismandtardinessareotherwaysthatpersonalissuescanaffectyourjobperformanceand,ultimately,othersatthecompany.WhyitisimportanttomanagepersonalissuesintheworkplaceWhenyou'refeelingfrustratedbypersonalissuesintheworkplace,it'simportantthatyoufindwaystomanagethesituation.Thefollowingarebenefitsofmanagingpersonalissuesinaworkplace:Improvedperformanceandinteraction:Highmoraleandagoodrelationshipbetweenco-workersfacilitateaconduciveenvironmentforimprovedperformance.Ifyoumanageyourpersonalissueswell,thereislittleornochanceofcustomerscomplainingofpoordecision-makingorinadequateservices.Stressfulpersonalissuescanhindersocialbehavior.Employeesgoingthroughpersonalmattersfinditchallengingtointeractpositivelywithcolleagues.Managingstressfromyourpersonallifemakesiteasiertocommunicateandinteractwithcolleagues.Reducedworkplaceconflict:Whenfacingpersonalissues,employeesmayexperiencestress.Atsuchtimes,conflictatworkbecomesmorecommonasincreasedstresslevelsexacerbatedifferencesinpersonalityandopinion.However,whenyoupracticemindfulstressmanagement,it'seasiertokeepyouremotionsundercontrolandworkasateamdespitetheissuesgoingoninyourpersonallife.Betterchancesofmeetingdeadlines:Whenyouaregoingthroughcomplicatedpersonalmatters,youarelikelytobedistractedatwork.Asaresult,youmayfindyourselfstrugglingtomeetdeadlines.Bylearningtomanageyourpersonalissuesinahealthyway,youenableyourselftocontinueperformingyourregulardutiesasexpected.Enhancedteamdevelopment:Withpersonalissuesdisturbingyou,youmayfinditdifficulttoconcentrateonwork.Teammembersmaynotunderstandthechangestheyseeinyourbehavioranddemeanor—especiallyiftheydonotknowwhatyouarestrugglingwith.Whenyoumanagepersonalmatterswithpromptattentionandeffectivestrategies,youcanfosteramoreharmoniousteamenvironment.Fewerabsencesandimprovedworkquality:Whenpeopleexperiencepersonalchallenges,theymayneedtotaketimeawayfromwork.However,onceyoudevelopskillstomanagepersonalissues,youmaybeabletoattendworkevenwhilethesituationisstillongoing.Whenyouaregoingthroughadifficultpersonalsituation,youmaybedistracted.Thequalityandefficiencyofyourworkwillbothimproveonceyouimplementsuccessfulstressmanagementtechniques.HowtohandlepersonalissuesatyourjobThewayyouhandlethesituationiswhatdetermineshowmuchtheissueaffectsyourjobperformance.Herearesomeofthestepsyoucantaketokeeppersonalissuesfromimpactingyourwork:1.LearnhealthyrelaxationtechniquesRelaxationtechniquesareanexcellentwaytomanagestressandanger.Tohelpensurethatpersonalissuesdonotaffectyourjob,youcanapplyvariousrelaxationmethodstoalleviatestress.Hereareafewtechniquestotry:Thinkbeforeyourespond:Whenyouarestressedbypersonalissuesandangeredbywork-relatedissues,youmaysaysomethingthatyouwilllaterregret.Taketimetodeliberateonthesubjectbeforeyoucommentorrespond.Allowtheotherpeopleinvolvedtofullysharetheirmindsbeforeyourushtoconclusions.Exercise:Physicalactivityhelpstoreducestress.Forinstance,whenyoufeelthatyourangerisincreasing,youcanjog,takeabriskwalkordoothersimpleexerciseactivities.Thisapproachworksbestifyouchooseaphysicalactivitythatyouenjoy.Findasolution:Ratherthanconcentratingonwhatangersyou,workonfindingasolution.Forexample,ifyourcolleagueisalwayslate,youcanplanaroundthatbyreschedulingtheactivitytofitthetimetheyusuallyarrive.Notblamingpeople:Angrypeopletendtocriticizeandblameothersforanyproblemtheyencounter.Insteadofgivingindulgingthisurge,consideryourownresponsibility.Remindyourselfthatoftentheproblemsstressingyououtaretheresultofyourownactionsordecisions.Forgiveothers:Forgivenessisanessentialtoolforunityandpeace.Holdinggrudgesisonewayofstoringangerandnegativefeelings,whichinturndevelopintobitterness.Collaborationwithcolleaguesrequiresunity,sodoyourbesttoforgivethemandfosterasupportiveenvironment.Practicerelaxationskills:Whenyourtemperblazes,ithelpstorelax.Forinstance,youcanexercisedeep-breathingandrepeatcalmingsentencesorwordslike"Becool."Listeningtomusicanddoingyogaposescanalsohelpyourelaxandreleaseyouranger.Understandwhentoseekhelp:Controllingangercanbedifficultevenifthebestofcircumstances.Whenyouareundergoingprolongedpersonalissueslikedepression,youmayneedprofessionalhelptocontrolyourtemper.2.LimittheinformationyoushareRefrainingfromsharingtoomuchinformationaboutyourpersonallifeisanexcellentwayofpreventingconflictatworkfrompersonal-relatedcauses.Yourmanager,colleaguesandcustomerswillonlyknowaboutthepersonalissuesyoushare.Ifyoudonotshare,yourcolleaguesmaynotknowwhatishappeninginyourlifeoutsidework.Learntokeepyourpersonalissuesasecretunlessyourealizetheywillaffectyourperformance.5.AdjustworkplansasneededIfyourissuehashugelyaffectedyou,reschedulingmeetingsandshiftingdeadlinescanbeidealforhandlingthesituation.Forexample,ifalovedonepassesaway,youmaynotmanagetomeetclientsorreporttowork.Takingafewdaysoffmayhelpyourecover.Tryingtopushthroughasthoughnothinghashappenedcouldbeworseforyourproductivityinthelongrunthansimplytakingafewpersonaldays.6.Setnew,realisticgoalsWhenyouaregoingthroughanemotionalsituationorarestressedduetopersonalproblems,youmaynotperformaswellasusual.Failingtomeetthegoalsyou'vesetforyourselfcanincreaseyourstressandexacerbatetheproblem.Toavoidthis,takeafewmomentstoreevaluateyourgoalsandadjustthemasneeded.Creatingmorerealisticgoalsandmeetingthemmayhelpimproveyourmoodandoutlook.7.BekindandrespectfulWhenunderstress,youarelikelytobeimpulsiveandsnapatcolleagues.Youcancounterbalancethistendencybymakinganextraefforttobefriendly,kindandrespectful.Forexample,apologizewhenyourealizeyourco-workersareunhappyandexpressappreciationwhencolleaguesdowell.Related:WhatIsRespectintheWorkplace?8.UnderstandandacceptthatthesethingshappenSometimeslosingfamilymembersorfriendsisadifficultthingtoaccept.However,ifyouhavetogobacktoworksoonaftertheburial,it'simportanttoworkonacceptance.Acceptthatithappenedandthatyoucannotundoit.Thiswillhelpyouclearyourthoughtsandconcentrateonwork.9.InformyourcolleaguesandsuperiorsIfyourissueforcesyoutomisswork,informyourbossandco-workers.Takealeaveofabsenceaftercommunicatingthereasonsfortheleave.Youcanrequestthedayoffbycalling,emailingorusingthemostappropriatecommunicationmodeyourorganizationuses.Related:UltimateGuideToProfessionalism10.RequesthelpWhenyouarenotclear-minded,askingforhelpfromteammemberscanbeanexcellentidea.Askyourbosstogiveyousomedaysofftorecoverfromthepersonalissue.Inthiscase,sharingsomedetailsaboutyourpersonalissuemaybewise.Delegatingdutieswithoutinformingyourcolleagueswillonlyraiseconcernsaboutyourcommitmenttothejob.Yourcoworkersmaybemoreunderstandingandwillingtohelpiftheyknowwhatyouaregoingthrough.TipsformaintainingprofessionalismatworkwhenfacingpersonalissuesThewayemployeesbehaveandappearatworkcanrevealseveralthingstocolleaguesandsuperiors.Forinstance,manypeopleconsideremployeeswhodemonstrateprofessionalismtobevaluableandcompetent.Sincethegoalistoavoidlettingyourpersonalissueaffectyouatwork,herearetipsformaintainingprofessionalismwhengoingthroughpersonalissues:Showrespect.Whenyouareexperiencingtroublingpersonalissues,remembertotreatcolleaguesandcustomerskindlyandrespectfully.Communicateprofessionallyanddonotconfrontpeoplewhenyoufindamistake.Furthermore,takecaretoshowrespecttothecompanyandyourcoworkersbyobservingallrelevantpolicieswhenrequestingtimeofformakingotherchangestoyourworkloadorschedule.Becarefulofyourbodylanguage,too.Whenyouareunhappy,explainthatverballyinsteadofusingfacialexpressionstoshowdissatisfaction.Bepunctual.Somepersonalissueslastformonths,andyoucannotbelatetoworkeveryday.Ensurethatyouarriveatworkontimeasawayofdemonstratingprofessionalism.Yoursuperiorsmaylosepatienceifyouareoftenlatetomeetingsorfailtoreporttoworkontime.Ifyoufindyourselfhabituallyrunninglate,adjustyourplansandaimtoarriveafewminutesbeforethescheduledtime.Alternatively,youcantalkwithyoursuperiorsabouttakingtimeofforadjustingyourhoursifnecessary.Getorganized.Demonstratetheabilitytodelegate,prioritizeandmanageyourtimewell.Beforeyoutakealeaveofabsencetohandleyourmatters,youshoulddelegateyourdutiesorfindsomeonetohelpyouwhileyouareaway.Althoughyoumayneedthedaysoff,youshouldnotleaveyourworkunattended.Stayingorganizedcanmakeiteasiertotakethetimeyouneedwithoutcausingunduehardshiptoothers.Developapositiveattitudeandbehonest.Makeanefforttostaypositivebyclearingpersonalfeelingsandfocusingonthegoodthingsratherthancomplainingornitpicking.Haveanopenlineofcommunicationwithyourco-workersandsupervisors.Yoursupervisorswanttoknowthattheycandependonyou.However,whenyoufailinyourdutiesduetopersonalissues,theymaynotunderstandunlessyoutellthemthetruth.Forexample,ifyouaresick,behonestandtellthemanagerratherthanpretendingyouarefine.ReadMoreHowToAchieveTeamworkSuccessWhatIsCustomerMarketing?(WithBenefitsandTypesofCustomerMarketing)SalesCallReports:ElementsToInclude,BenefitsandTipsRelatedViewMore arrowrightHowtoCreatethePerfectElevatorPitch-PlusExamples[Video+Transcript]Inthiscareeradvicevideo,learnhowtocreateanelevatorpitchforanetworkingeventorinterviewthattellsacompellingstoryaboutwhoyouareandwhereyouaregoinginyourcareerinundertwominutes.Myers-BriggsJobs:PersonalityTestToFindYourIdealCareer[Vid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