A bad marriage is something that can affect many aspects of your life. Not only is your marriage suffering, but your relationship with your children may suffer as well. Maybe your social life and personality have hit rock bottom,
For many people, their work is also impacted by a divorce, but surprisingly, in a good way. That’s right — studies show that people actually see their work life improve after their marriage ends.
The study, which has been published in the scientific journal Personnel Psychology, revealed that nearly 39% of respondents claimed that divorce positively affected their work. However, 44% did say that divorce negatively affected their work, so it’s not all good news.
But still, it’s shocking that nearly 4 out of 10 people stated that divorce was actually helpful for their career. Who could have predicted that? After all, people tend to associate divorce with negativity.
However, it’s important to take a hard look at your relationship. If your marriage is so dysfunctional that it’s affecting your work and ruining your whole outlook on life, then something is seriously wrong. It may be time to get away from that relationship, and that was what many people did. They ended their marriages and basically got a new outlook on life. With their marriage over, they decided to redirect their time and energy elsewhere. They were able to focus more on work and advancement.
When Marriage Takes Time and Energy Away From Work
Relationships do not simply coast on autopilot. They require a lot of time and energy. What tends to happen is that when the marriage hits rock bottom, couples focus on trying to fix their marriage. As a result, their work life suffers.
Once the decision is made to end the marriage, the pressure is gone. Once they divorce, they are better able to focus on work. They feel happier at work because they can do their job without the distractions of a failing marriage. Workers feel more engaged and less distracted. They also feel more confident and are able to get more work done, allowing for advancement opportunities, raises, and other perks.
Divorce may create anxiety for many people. There’s a lot going on as people unravel their marriages and go from married life to single life. They’re consulting with lawyers and filling our property. They’re dividing property and possibly dealing with child custody issues. They may have to move out of the marital home. They’re dealing with their feelings as well as the feelings of their children. All of this can definitely impact a person’s work life.
But for some, the immediate effects of marriage are a clearer mind. Once the relationship is over, the pressure is off.
Work Lives vs. Personal Lives
On top of that, employees try to hide their personal lives. They may not want their manager to know about the divorce because they don’t want management to make assumptions. They don’t want their employment to be affected. So there’s a lot going on and suddenly they have to act as if everything is fine.
However, divorce affects work, which affects our personal lives. Our work and personal lives are not capable of being separated. It’s just not possible, especially when you work with the same people for eight hours a day. How do you not tell them you’re getting divorced? You’re going through a major life event. Shouldn’t you lean on your co-workers for support or should you keep quiet?
Ideally, employers should have resources in place for those going through a divorce. Once managers are aware of the divorce, they should try to look for ways to help. A little understanding and support can go a long way.
It may help to reconsider their workload and offer flexible work arrangements. There may be employer benefits in place that can help, such as professional counseling and support groups. If there is an employee assistance program (EAP) in place, that will be a good starting point.
Contact Us Today
Divorce is not all bad. It can be positive in some ways, especially when it comes to work, since being divorced leaves more time for the workplace.
The Delaware, Ohio divorce attorneys at Lawrence Law Office can help you find the good in divorce. Just know that a divorce can help you get away from a dysfunctional relationship. Call (614) 363-0752 or fill out the online form to schedule a consultation.
