“So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.”

– E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly,

One of the most difficult experiences in life, that almost everybody has gone through, is the death of a close person. Death is always too painful for the people who love and that’s why the grief becomes unbearable.

The grief can hit a massive blow on one’s mental, emotional and physical health. The impact is so hard that a person can become sick, they can become addicted to drugs, and they may experience a severe nervous breakdown.

But despite all of these unfortunate things, most companies believe workers are merely mindless, emotionless creatures who will work like robots without complaining.

Every man is different, their emotion levels are also different. So, you can’t compare one man’s reaction with another one considering their level of grief.

But at the end of the day, most of us have to get back to work or to start a job gain. After all, the job is something that we all do for earning money.

So, here we will discuss some healthy and practical ways to help you cope with your grief, especially when you are getting back to your job, office, or workplace after the funeral or memorial of your dear one.

Ways to cope up with grief at the workplace

Grief is a natural reaction towards sudden loss. But the most intense grief is triggered by the loss of life.

The death of a close family member or friend can make you depressed. So, you need to try every possible way to calm yourself while you are at your workplace.

1) Give yourself a break

Focusing on self-care is very important while you are suffering from grief. If you want to try meditation, or yoga, do it now. Remember, you need to work long 8 hours a day in office, so try to take at least a short break during that time. Have a coffee and spend some time in the cafeteria alone.

Your ideal place should be your office, just shut the door as soon as you get in! But what if you don’t have one? An empty room, stairwell (most people use the elevator, right?), or bathroom stall might be the one.

If you want to cry, don’t stop yourself. When you feel your tears, excuse yourself from wherever you are and go to that place.

You’ll feel better not breaking down in front of a person and your co-workers will understand your situation.

Find an empty room, or use your washroom if you feel tears coming on. Do not compress your feelings, let it go. Trust me you’ll feel lighter than before.

2. Talk to your bosses

When you decide to carry on with your work and finally return to the office, make sure you tell your bosses and colleagues about your loss.

You might hesitate initially due to your relationship with your managers or other people in the office. But, it is very important for your good.

You must tell everything openly to your immediate boss asap. If you don’t like to tell others, don’t tell them. But Your bosses should know everything about the mental state you are going through. These are difficult things that everyone should share with people they trust.

If you want your loss to remain secret from everyone, you should also tell that otherwise, news spreads faster than wind. If word spreads, then there may be fewer times you have to tell the story.

3. Take help from others

You shouldn’t think twice to get help from others. Not only do other people understand your crisis, but they will do as much as possible to get you out of this misery.

Do not close yourself off and be honest with your colleagues.

Your close ones, friends, co-workers, and other people whom you talk with can help you to get out of this difficult situation.

Severe grief can lead to serious psychological problems. So, if you do not open up in front of your dear ones, there’s a possibility that later you might have to visit a doctor who is an expert in counseling psychology.

4) Live life freely

The unexpected death of a dear one can unsettle a man’s life. But to settle it down you may need to live your life fully.

Once you get back to your work, try some new things to ease up your mental situation. As I said earlier, talk to your co-worker as much as possible.

Try to be with someone all the time and avoid being lonely. You may take a couple of days off from work and relax at home. Try some funky, classical, hard rock, pop music to refresh your brain, and…avoid sad music or songs.

Watch movies in your spare time. You can pick up some popular classic comedy titles such as MODERN TIMES, CITY LIGHTS, THE KID, old action movies like RAMBO, COMMANDO, or best as per my opinion…watch animated movies! They are the best remedy to heal mood swings or bad mood conditions.

Apart from that, you can read books, play video games, go for a long ride on your bike, visit the zoo, and many more things to keep your mind occupied. The less you’ll leave your mind alone, the better.

With the passing of your loved one, you must give your life a new perspective. You can start working on your life’s goals before it’s too late.

5) Plan ahead

You are in severe grief, right? And when you start visiting the workplace there might be some weird situation that you have to experience.

So, it is better that you should prepare for some of the workplace situations that might arise with your coworkers.

If you’re worried about those awkward questions, be prepared for those and decide in advance how you are going to handle those.

I would suggest you should simply tell them politely that you are getting uncomfortable to discuss your loss, so it is better not to talk about it further.

Endnotes

Time is the best healer. You should believe in that too.

But if you still have problems and can’t find a way through, then you should meet with a grief counselor or psychiatrist to get help coping with your emotions.

Remember, consulting an expert is not a sign of weakness, but a wise decision.

“Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.” – Leo Tolstoy