How do you deal with the awful period just before you resign?

[WaitingWaitingWaitingToResign]

I have just accepted an amazing job offer. Background checks are underway and I am expecting to get my contract in the next 2-3 weeks, at which point I will hand in my notice at my current job.

I am excited about the new job but I am finding the waiting period so difficult. I keep being asked to take on new projects which there is no chance I will be around to finish, and being involved in discussions about long term plans and strategies involving my work which feel like a massive waste of time and effort as it will all need to change once I go. I also feel extremely guilty because my manager and colleagues are so lovely and it feels as though I am cheating on them. I know a contractual work relationship is a very different beast to a personal relationship but my feelings are exactly the same! I also know that my resignation will be taken extremely badly (there is a bit of a back story) and is likely to burn bridges which is making the anticipation worse.

Any tips on coping with the dreaded wait?

Keep telling yourself it is a business and not personal relationship. I would do my best to participate in the strategies etc going forward (imagine if your new role disappears for a reason) but would not really push for anything and leave the others to agree

I am in a similar boat but I will continue for now as though I am staying. You never know if the job offer might fall through or if you start the job and just don't enjoy it.
I once was within a week of starting a new job but then withdrew when I went for an introductory meeting with my new line manager as I knew I simply couldn't work for.

Thanks @SalmonnomlaS and @Vickivicks. Good point about the potential for things to fall through. I have had colleagues who have resigned and then decided to stay (one just before their leaving date which was slightly awkward as we had already bought his leaving gift!). I guess nothing is certain until I physically walk into the office of the new job on day 1.

I find the actual notice period is worse! But completely^ understand what you mean about the bit where you know you're going but they don't. ^
^
I'm about to leave my current role and I decided to just tell them as soon as I was offered my new job, there was no reason I wouldn't pass checks as I'm transferring between civil service depts.

All hell broke lose when I told them, it was utterly ridiculous. ^

^However it didn't stop them trying to give me all sorts of new work! The irony is that I've another 3 working days left and because they've insisted I take on all this other stuff there will be a load of incomplete work left behind and no time for a proper handover. Just today they asked me to pick up a very big and urgent issue! Baffles me.

Anyway - it will be fine, and if it's not your notice period is a short and finite time. Then you move on and forget they even existed!^

I’m almost in exactly the same situation OP.
I have a few weeks of my notice period left and the pressure to complete projects before I leave, create handover documents, tidy up records and train new staff is making me feel as though it’s just not worth it.

I’ve worked over 3 evenings this week and I’m still nowhere near where I need to be . I just don’t know how on earth I’m going to do it 😭

I'm not quite at this stage yet as I don't have a job offer, but it is difficult to stay motivated when I know I want to leave.

@NotebookNell surely this is the time you work to rule. You have handed in your notice. Work your contracted hours and no more. What's the worst that can happen, they can't sack you. Stop tidying up records, that is no longer your problem.