"The copy room smelled faintly of toner and burnt coffee when a colleague walked in and asked, "How was your break?" Without thinking, I said, "It was good," and turned back to unjamming the printer tray. The moment passed, and so did he, but I stood there afterwards unsettled by the answer I had just given. The truth was that it had not been a good break."
"My dad had died unexpectedly, though peacefully, the Friday before Thanksgiving. There had been no warning, but simply a phone call from my brother and a rupture that split my world into before and after. And still, when asked, I said it was "good." This is part of the quiet choreography of grief in professional spaces where it feels like we are handed two scripts and expected to quickly choose one."
Everyday workplace exchanges can become fraught after a death, making honest answers unexpectedly difficult. Grief creates pressure to appear composed, prompting performance and concealment rather than openness about needs. Loss can contain both tenderness and profound pain at once, so simple answers often feel inaccurate. Grief shifts back and forth over time, meaning sharing requires judgment about timing and context. Allowing room for honest, human responses reduces stress and fosters healthier workplace norms. Small accommodations and permission to pause can help colleagues navigate the dual demands of professional roles and private mourning.
Read at Psychology Today
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