Five. Between February and August of last year, I lost five loved ones.
These losses took a lot out of me mentally and emotionally. Here is how I managed working through grief:
I did not manage well. I missed deadlines, I was delayed in responding to emails, and I down right ignored emails.
Steps I took to get back on track:
1. I let my team know that I had experienced these losses and I would continue to do my best under the circumstances. Being too private about personal matters that may affect your performance can be a detriment to your success. I've seen some career advice that says "never let them see you cry" or "never let them see you sweat." If you set unrealistic expectations to your emotional responses to grief, your colleagues will set unrealistic expectations of you. These shared moments of humanity can foster confidence among the team and take some of the pressure off of you.
2. I forgave myself for the mistakes. Mistakes happen even we are at our best. They are bound to happen when we are at our worst. If you do make mistakes, forgive yourself, then notify the impacted parties and correct them as quickly as possible.
