How to manage personal grief

If you do a quick Internet search you will get the 7-effective ways to get through grief, the ‘how to cope’ blogs, and the ‘just carry on’ blogs – but is there really a ‘one size fits all’ approach to managing personal grief?

Tim discusses his personal experience of managing grief in the workplace.

By Tim Frear

The office has just gone through a hard time losing one of our biggest characters in the team to cancer. Each of us managed the grief in different ways from being slightly cold and un-emotional (yes that was me) to tears, cuddles and talking.

It was very apparent that we all processed our own grief differently, we’re all in the people management business and we understood that how one person deals with a difficult situation might not be the way others do.

One thing that we all need is to decide how we can manage grief on our own terms, and how long it’s going to take us. At times we’ll want the company of our friends, family and colleagues, and other times we just need to reflect and cry in our own space. It’s important to have a support structure when you do need that friend, and if you don’t know someone you would feel comfortable talking to, there are many organisations willing to lend an ear.

I don’t believe there is any one way to manage these situations. Until you have to go through grief yourself you don’t know how you’re going to react. It’s always good to take heed of the advice provided by your friends, the NHS, your doctor or your family but realise the way you are managing your own grief should be on your own terms.

Some people have opinions based on their own experiences, but we are all different and our experiences have shaped our beliefs so we will all manage stress differently.

I do have one opinion about grief, if you need someone to talk to you must reach out and ask. If you can’t face your friends or family you can call Samaritans on 116 123 or speak to your doctor who can refer you to a councillor at no cost to yourself.