Illness can leave you feeling miserable. When your health is in bad shape, it can have quite a big effect on the rest of your life. You might be lacking mental acuity and focus. Perhaps your aches and discomfort are preventing you from spending any time on a single task. Without a doubt, any illness will affect your performance at work. But when should you say enough is enough and take some time off?
These days, every worker is essential to smooth running of the business. Taking time off can be incredibly disruptive, especially if you’re the boss. But are you really bringing any benefit to the business if you are you sat there worrying and fretting about your ailing health? You have a few options here. You might choose to persevere, tackling the edges of the little tasks. Does this look good to your co-workers? Putting on a brave face rarely goes down that well with others.
Being in pain – like this woman – can lead to a lack of sleep and many other issues. Pexels, CC0 License.
A second option is to work from home. This isn’t always practical either, but it might take the edge off your exhaustion if you don’t have to deal with the commute. The third option is to take some time off until you are well. There is no way to know how long that may take, or even if it will offer a full recovery. But it does buy you time to address the issues and put a practical plan of action into place.
Speak to your doctor. If you’ve recently had medical treatment for your condition, it’s time to find out why it isn’t working. And if you’re feeling worse, then you might even be looking at a medical malpractice case. If you’ve done everything that was expected of you, but something has gone wrong, you must find an alternative practitioner quickly so you can start the road to full recovery. After all, your livelihood depends on it, as well as your health and well-being.
Stress and a lack of sleep can aggravate every kind of illness. If you’re taking the time to rest, then do that. Switch off from work and the other things that are worrying you in life. Enjoy a massage or two. Eat well, do a couple of relaxing things you love, and get some sleep. It will help give you a new perspective on how to tackle the problems. And it gives your body the best chance to rejuvenate.
There are several signs that it is time to take a sick day:
- You’re getting worse, not better
- Your doctor has recommended it
- Your boss has suggested it
- You’re unable to perform your role well enough
- Your concern about your health is affecting your concentration and your sleeping patterns
Don’t soldier on if it won’t benefit anyone. A brave face isn’t necessary. Instead, shift your focus and attention to improving your health so you can be back to work and performing well sooner.
Long term health issues should be regularly assessed to ensure they are not worsening. You should have an action plan for coping that prioritizes your well being. Take care.
