
Divorce can have numerous unintended consequences on the stability of your life. One of the most common areas where it can explode is professionally. This is particularly concerning if you’re an employee, who has a limited amount of time (and benefits) in which to grieve. If you want to stay in good with your employer, avoid these five reasons that divorce can get you fired.
1. You don’t have emotional support.
An emotional support team is essential to overcoming divorce and rebuilding your life better than you found it. If friends and family members are trying to be there for you throughout the divorce, let them. Don’t push people away, or you could end up dealing with things alone, and that will lead to many of the other reasons for termination that you’ll see on this list.
2. You allow your personal life to affect job duties.
Most employers will understand when you’re going through a tough time, and they’ll give you some flexibility. But the minute you start being rude to customers and failing in your primary job duties, it can lead to trouble. If you need some time off, ask. Even if it’s unpaid, that beats getting yourself into a situation where the job is no longer there for you and the bridge that you’ve worked to build professionally is torched.
3. You lose the ability to feel passion for the job (or anything).
Divorce often leads to depression. Some people suffer mild bouts while others lose their ability to feel or care about anything. Not a good quality to exert to an employer!
4. You lose sight of who you are as a person.
This is easy to do, and as with number three, it can lead to you losing your connection to the job, which will in turn affect your performance negatively. If you decide that you no longer want to do the job you’re in, make sure it’s a well-thought-out decision and not simply a reaction to what you’re going through.
5. You let your divorce turn into a war.
When things get too nasty between spouses in a divorce, it’s not uncommon for them to take shots at one another in an effort to “hit ‘em where it hurts.” Of course, if you or your spouse get each other fired, it almost always goes against the instigator’s best interests as well, but people don’t act rationally in a divorce. Don’t start a war with your ex, and don’t let them draw you into one. If you fear they might be trying to hurt your job, talk to your supervisor about some of your concerns.
Divorce is hard, but it’s even harder when you don’t have a means of support. Don’t let any of the above reasons be true for you.