At this point, my dad is still dealing with the loss of his business partner. I can truly say that her death was unexpected to me. As for my dad, I think he would say that it was coming.
Truth is, I have not had to really deal with hardship in a professional setting. But I have been watching my dad work through this situation and it’s taught me something about dealing with grief and managing work.
Communicate with family or close friends
I know this sounds like an obvious piece of advice, but in my experience when you are in the middle of an emotional moment this is a big deal. Communication can be hard, but I think it is necessary because no one can read minds (unfortunately). How would someone be able to just understand what you’re feeling without you expressing this.
Rely on positive habits
I think that the most important time to focus on your routines is when things get rough. It’s easy to let it all go, but I think that some normalcy can help with processing and dealing with emotions.
Ask for help and delegate
Whether or not you talk about the person or your feelings, asking for other people to take on tasks that you normally do can be a huge weight off of your shoulders. This can especially helpful when things get tough.
I say this from the perspective of someone who doesn’t know how to help in the midst of a monumental loss.
I would tell someone in my dad’s position that you don’t have to go through it alone. You may not want to talk about the person or your relationship with them, but only want to know if that hell you are. We can help you without you helping us. It’s funny how that works.