Despite the differences between remote work and traditional work, there are still some things that they share. One of these unfortunate similarities is that separating personal issues is still a problem in a remote work environment. In fact, I would even say that separating your personal life from work is now more challenging.
After all, at least there’s a clear line between personal and professional life when you’re in an office. It’s kind of difficult prioritizing work when the person or thing that’s the source of your problems or reminds you of it is just a few feet away. And if this situation continues, this may add to your remote work challenges.
To avoid this from happening, here are ways you can do to avoid letting your problems interfere with your work. Doing these won’t be easy, but you could say that to anything worth doing. What’s important is that you’re trying to solve your problems while working efficiently.
Talk to Your Boss About Your Problem
No, I don’t mean that you should gossip or rant to your boss about your problems. What I mean is, if you’re having trouble working, please notify your boss about it. It doesn’t need to be a complete report of your problem, just a general outline of what’s happening to you right now.
Will this help solve your problem? Probably not, unless it’s your boss that’s the source of your problem. But at least now your boss knows why you’re late today or why you’re suddenly so sluggish with work. Hopefully, they’ll be able to understand your situation so that you don’t have to worry about your sudden inefficiency at work adding to your burdens.
Avoid Oversharing with Your Coworkers
One of remote work’s challenges is knowing what to share and what not to share. Your coworkers aren’t Mel Tianco or Charo Santos-Concio, so don’t share every detail of your problem with them. Yes, this is true even if you’re close friends with your coworkers.
Not only is this common courtesy, but it also preserves your privacy as well. Gossip travels fast, and you don’t want the wrong people to know of your problems. Sharing things online also brings the problem that you may forget what you post, but the internet won’t. So be careful about what you post, as people can easily save a screenshot of your post even if you deleted it.
Establish Boundaries Between Work and Personal Life
Again with this advice. It’s like we don’t have anything new to say, right? But this advice is crucial for a successful remote work setup that it needs to be constantly said. Separating your personal life from work allows you to focus on a different matter aside from your current problem. Doing this provides you some rest and shifts your focus from your problems.
One way to establish a boundary between your work and personal life is to avoid social media while working. Not only will you avoid seeing the source of your problems online, but it also makes prioritizing your work a lot easier.
Attempt to Fix Your Problem Out of Work
Knowing how to cope with your personal problems while working is very helpful, but you shouldn’t just remain in this forever. Doing this won’t solve your problems, as it’s only a temporary solution for it. You still need to resolve whatever personal problems you may be facing to move forward.
The question that you’re going to ask now is, “how do I solve my problems then?” To be honest, I don’t know, since you’re the only one who knows your problem intimately. But you don’t need to do it alone. You can ask your friends and family for help if you need to, and if you’re having difficulty solving it, don’t be afraid to seek professional help for your problems.
Take a Break if You Need it.
When you’re having trouble dealing with personal issues, don’t be afraid to take a leave to sort them out. Remember, trading your mental health is not a good thing in the long run. If you really think you need some time alone to sort your problems out, there’s no shame in asking for a time out.
Of course, don’t forget to notify your boss that you’ll be taking a break. Don’t just disappear into thin air, remember my first point? By communicating your intention to take a break with your boss, you can rest easy that you’ll still have a job to return to once you’ve recovered.
Conclusion
In summary, these tips are some of the ways you can do to help cope with your problems while remote working. Working while you’re having problems isn’t easy, but with proper help and work ethic, you can minimize the effects of your problems from your work. Please remember that what you’re experiencing right now matters, and your feelings matter.
But your response to these problems is a different story altogether. Always try to avoid letting your emotions negatively affect your work, as doing this may snowball into a bigger problem.
