Dealing with Grief

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Grief, unfortunately, is a common human emotion, one we experience after loss or disconnect. The past several years have been full of grief for me and many others I know. There is slight comfort in recognizing that grief almost always signifies how much someone meant to us, and there would be no grief if we didn’t have an appreciation, connection, or love for the person we now miss. In that respect, every moment of grief is a testament to the authentic connection you shared.

However, to put it lightly, grief is rather inconvenient. Sure, it’s a natural human emotion and one that benefits our health as it helps us process and truly express our saddest emotions, which is entirely natural and necessary during the hardships of life. But sometimes, it can get in the way of our wellbeing, our plans, and our sense of productivity.

Now, taking a break from work when you can or negotiating time off with your employer on compassionate grounds is not only healthy, it’s wise. But what if you need to work? Perhaps you’re already trying to make do with reduced clients from your home business, or you’d prefer to be active and focused than sit around all day feeling awful? Well, consider a couple of tips to achieve a healthy outcome:

Admit You Are Human

You may still work while you’re grieving, but allow yourself a little more time to recover each day. Spend your lunchtimes going for a walk in the park and eating a packed lunch where you can, spend time grabbing tea or coffee with a friend, or simply reduce your workload a little. If you need to, take a day here or there. You don’t have to become a lean, mean productivity machine at a time when you’re trying to be a human being as well. Remember that you might not be your sharpest, most capable self right now, so treating your work as if you were getting over an intensive illness or injury (which is what grief can feel like from an emotional perspective), will help you work a little more gently.

Reschedule & Postpone

It’s fine is you’d prefer to be a little more solo-oriented in your work the week or two after your difficult experience. That might involve rescheduling meetings or postponing when you need to. This will not only help you focus with a little more diligence than you would, but it helps you plan your day with open periods when you need it, such as searching for death date scrolls or plaques for grave markers, planning the funeral, or connecting with family and friends more readily. Your clients or colleagues will no doubt understand.

Work Remote

Talking to your boss or choosing not to go into your co-working space for a little while can help you focus on the future a little more readiy. Working remote not only feels good, it can give you the breath of fresh air you need to keep productive from top to bottom. That way, if you start feeling a little off, you can set your hours more flexibly and then move forward still making a little progress here and there.

Grief doesn’t get better with time, but it changes with time. These steps definitely don’t take it away but rather help as you move through grief. I have found that it comes and goes in waves and it is good to revisit ideas to help support when those waves hit the hardest. 

*collaborative post