Personal problems affecting work

Career development
How To Handle Personal Issues in the Workplace (Plus Tips)

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated August 23, 2022 | Published April 5, 2021

Updated August 23, 2022

Published April 5, 2021

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Many types of personal issues can affect your performance at work. While it's normal and understandable sometimes to face career distractions, it's also important to know how to manage personal issues professionally. Understanding how to appropriately and effectively handle personal matters while at work can help you optimize your performance, improve your professional relationships and maintain a better work-life balance.

In this article, we discuss what personal issues at work are, how to manage them and how you can maintain professionalism at work.

What is a personal issue at work?

A personal issue is anything in your life that might make it difficult to focus and perform well at your job. Personal issues could be family matters, health issues or financial concerns. They can also involve life-changing events, such as pregnancy or a death within the family.

Personal problems can adversely affect your job performance if ignored or improperly handled. By contrast, employees who can appropriately manage their personal issues in the workplace can optimize their job conduct, improve interactions with their colleagues, meet deadlines and boost the quality of their performance.

Related: How To Call Out of Work (Reasons, Tips and Examples)

How to handle personal issues while at work

How you handle a personal situation determines how the issue affects your job performance. Here are some steps to keep personal issues from impacting your work:

1. Learn healthy relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques are an excellent way to manage stress and anger that might carry over into the workplace. Use relaxation methods to reduce stress to help ensure that personal issues do not impact your job. Here are a few techniques to try:

Think before you respond: When personal and work-related issues stress you, you may say something you may later regret. Take time to think through the subject before you comment or respond.
Exercise: Physical activity can help reduce stress. For instance, when you feel your frustration or anger rising, go for a jog, take a brisk walk or do other simple exercise activities.
Find a solution: Rather than concentrating on what bothers you, work on finding a solution. For example, schedule meetings to fit your arrival time if home issues prevent you from getting to work on time.
Not blaming people: Instead of blaming others when something goes wrong, consider your own responsibility. Remind yourself that some common problems can result from both parties not adequately communicating their needs.

Related: 11 Simple Strategies To Relax at Work

Sharing too much information about your personal life may create conflict at work from personal-related causes. Your manager, colleagues and customers only know about the personal issues you share. Try to give only details about personal issues necessary for your colleagues or other professionals to know.

Related: 10 Tips for How To Get Along With Coworkers

3. Adjust work plans as needed

If your issue has hugely affected you, rescheduling meetings and shifting deadlines may help you better cope at work. For example, taking a few days off may help you recover if a loved one passes away. Trying to push through as though nothing has happened may negatively impact your productivity rather than simply taking a few personal days.

Related: 5 Reasons To Take a Personal Day Away From Work

4. Set realistic goals

You may not perform as well as usual when you're going through an emotional situation or personal stress. Failing to meet the goals you've set for yourself can increase your stress and exacerbate the problem. To avoid this, take a few moments to re-evaluate your goals and adjust them as needed. Creating realistic goals and meeting them may help improve your mood and outlook.

Related: 8 Different Types of Goals You Can Pursue (With Examples)

5. Be respectful

You are more likely to be impulsive and snap at colleagues when under stress. You can counterbalance this tendency by making an extra effort to be friendly, kind and respectful. For example, sympathize when you realize your coworkers are unhappy and express appreciation when colleagues do well.

Related: What Is Respect in the Workplace?

6. Understand and accept

Be kind to yourself when dealing with a personal issue. Do your best to understand how the situation's affecting you so you can find ways to move forward proactively. Accepting that your emotions are valid can help you healthily process them even if they're unpleasant.

Related: Good and Bad Reasons for Missing Work

7. Inform your colleagues

Inform your manager and co-workers if your issue forces you to miss work. Take a leave of absence after communicating the reasons for the break. You can request the day off by calling, emailing or using the most appropriate communication mode your organization uses.

Related: Guide to Professionalism in the Workplace

8. Request help

When you can't focus at work, asking for help may be an option. Ask your manager for time off and explain why. Delegating duties without informing your colleagues will only raise concerns about your commitment to the job. Your coworkers may be more understanding and willing to help if they know what you're going through.

Related: How To Ask for Help at Work

9. Understand your legal rights

Know what your legal rights are in the workplace for various personal issues. Some issues have protections in place by local or federal government bodies. It's important to learn what these are so that you can advocate for yourself appropriately if needed. For example, if you're experiencing a challenge in the workplace related to a disability, there are local and national disability rights that might help you optimize your job performance.

Related: What Is Employment Law? (With Key Terms and Examples)

Tips for facing personal issues at work

How employees behave and appear at work can reveal several things to colleagues and superiors. Since the goal is to avoid letting your personal issue affect you at work, here are tips for maintaining professionalism when going through personal issues:

Show respect

When you're experiencing troubling personal issues, remember to treat colleagues and customers kindly and respectfully. Communicate professionally and don't confront people when you find a mistake. Take care to show respect to the company and your coworkers by observing all relevant policies when requesting time off or changing your workload or schedule. When you are unhappy, explain that verbally instead of using facial expressions to show dissatisfaction.

Related: How To Treat Others with Respect in the Workplace

Be punctual

Ensure you arrive at work on time as a way of demonstrating professionalism. If you habitually run late, adjust your plans and aim to arrive a few minutes before the scheduled time. Alternatively, you can talk with your superiors about taking time off or changing your hours if necessary.

Related: 8 Tips for Being on Time To Work and Meetings

Get organized

Demonstrate the ability to delegate, prioritize and manage your time well. Before you take a leave of absence to handle personal matters, delegate your duties or find someone to help while you're away. Although you may need days off, try not to leave your work unattended. Staying organized can make it easier to take time off without causing undue hardship to others.

Related: How To Delegate Tasks in the Workplace: 7 Tips

Be mindful of burnout

Know the signs of burnout, a condition caused by chronic and unmanaged stress from work. Symptoms of burnout can include mental exhaustion, feeling cynical about your job or performing less efficiently than usual. Understanding what burnout feels like can help you notice if you're experiencing it and take appropriate action, such as receiving professional help or taking time off.

Related: Major Causes of Burnout (And How To Manage It at Work)

What are some examples of personal issues?

In practice, personal issues can be defined as any personal problem that affects a certain individual. Typical personal issues could relate, among others, to family, finance, addiction, disability or health.

What is a personal issue at work?

What is a personal issue at work? A personal issue is anything in your life that might make it difficult to focus and perform well at your job. Personal issues could be family matters, health issues or financial concerns. They can also involve life-changing events, such as pregnancy or a death within the family.

Does personal life affect work performance?

Nearly half of employees with personal problems say their job performance suffers as a result. Help your company by helping them. Forty-seven percent of employees say that problems in their personal lives sometimes affect their work performance, according to new research by Bensinger, DuPont & Associates.