“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” This oft-quoted saying, regardless of where exactly it originated, is certainly relevant to people you meet in the workplace.
According to mental strength trainer Amy Morin writing in a Forbes article, “everyone has a few personal issues at any given time.” Those issues are inevitable, too; but, if you can handle them in the right way, they can merely bubble in the background rather than impede your work life.
Sadness
Like the character of Sadness in Disney’s 2015 film Inside Out, sadness itself can re-emerge suddenly and unexpectedly from time to time – and, when it does, your pay packet could be a casualty.
Imagine, for example, if your romantic partner opted to break off your engagement only just before you were offered a poorly-paying freelance gig. You could end up simply accepting that offer, rather than fighting for something better, due to how your self-esteem has been knocked.
Anxiety
One very 2020-specific example of how anxiety can arise is a situation where you suspect you are infected with COVID-19 and have been tested for coronavirus but are yet to receive the result. In the wait, your anxiety could intensify… but, then, your boss could offer you a new, if tough, opportunity.
In this instance, you could decide against taking it up out of fear that something could too easily go wrong – even if you wouldn’t have had this fear if the offer had come at a less anxious time.
Anger
It’s not hard for many of us to think of personal-life scenarios that could get our blood boiling. However, when you see red, and continue to see it as you get into the office, your usual judgment could be clouded – with potentially disastrous results.
For example, if you spot a risky opportunity that nonetheless could bring a big payoff, you could too hastily take on that opportunity regardless of how likely you are to make the best of it.
Chronic illness
Some issues, you could easily keep secret from your manager. Other issues, however, can linger for so long that keeping them completely under wraps can seem challenging. One good case in point would be a chronic illness, which could render your office-based self less energetic than usual.
You could report this and the fact that you are receiving treatment, as your boss could help you by, say, extending your usual deadlines. However, The Muse insists that you don’t need to detail your health and treatments to your boss if these details are irrelevant to your work performance.
Stress
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) warns that “stress has a serious impact on worker productivity.” Fortunately, however, employees can often use their own time to learn how to manage that stress.
Employers could help here by implementing a wide range of employee wellbeing solutions from LifeWorks, a notable provider of software-based stress management tools. As workers utilise these tools, they can enjoy the pleasant feeling of much of their stress melting away.
