Setting expectations when you're having a tough time outside of the office
So I'm currently going through a difficult time outside work and I had to have the internal debate as to whether I should let a handful of people at work know because, ultimately, it was affecting my productivity at work. I ended up coming to the conclusion that, in order to be a responsible employee, I should share the information with my boss, HR, and a few select people who I trust and work with closely.
This can be a daunting thing to do but I advocate for it for two reasons:
Setting expectations with your work and colleagues about what you can and cannot do is the right thing and the responsible thing to do.
When the thing that is impacting your work is due to the side effects of emotional upheaval or mental illness, having the conversation (without ever needing to go into more depth than you're comfortable with) helps normalize the notion that we are all human, we all have varying degrees of emotional stability, and we can recognize that fact. Talking about it is not a bad thing and, in the vein of this group, helps move us in the direction of stopping the stigma of mental illness.