No one expects you to get through your divorce without showing some emotion, whether it is sorrow, anger or frustration. However, the last thing you want to do is jeopardize your career or make your coworkers uncomfortable by allowing your divorce to disrupt the flow of work at the office.
It is true that the nuts and bolts of a divorce can be overwhelming, and the process itself can be a distraction. Your boss and coworkers may sympathize with you, but their compassion may wear thin if the productivity of the company suffers. There are some steps you can take that may allow you to keep your divorce moving forward without letting it interfere with the smooth operations of your Colorado workplace.
It’s no one else’s business
During the workday, you may experience numerous interruptions related to your divorce. Your attorney, your ex, your ex’s attorney and your own thoughts may demand your attention and answers to dozens of questions. You may see the looks of impatience on your coworkers’ faces when you rise from a meeting yet again to take a call from your lawyer. To avoid letting these disruptions become a distraction to you and your colleagues, you can discipline yourself to do the following:
- Keep a list in your planner or your device of questions or issues to discuss with your attorney.
- Schedule a certain time each day to deal with your divorce, to return phone calls and get the answers to your own questions.
- Make sure you have a private place to discuss your personal affairs out of earshot of the rest of the office.
- Inform your attorney of any dates when you will not be available, such as important meetings or business trips.
- Start now implementing any adjustments to your work schedule that you may need for custody or other arrangements.
- Keep your private affairs private by clearing your desk of any divorce-related documents when meeting with clients or coworkers, and by removing personal papers from copiers and printers.
- Avoid using work email or corporate accounts when corresponding with your attorney to protect your attorney-client privilege.
Of course, despite your efforts to keep your divorce private in the workplace, there may be some you will have to inform of the impending change in your life. Your human resources representative, your business partners or your supervisor may need this information, especially if there is a chance they will receive a subpoena. Your attorney should also respect the boundaries of your workplace, and you can feel free to consult with your legal counsel for the best ways to make the divorce process as smooth as possible.