Should You Work From Home or Take Real Sick Leave?
If your only options when you are sick are to go to the office or cancel the call, then obviously if you are contagious you should cancel the call. But now that so many of us have the option to work from home when we can’t get to the office, the decision becomes a bit more difficult.
This also applies to those who constantly work remotely. Speaking as one of them, I sometimes find it hard to tell if it’s really okay to take a day off or if I should lean on my computer and do something that feels like a work day. Although mostly my own anxiety. It goes without saying that if you are sick, you deserve a rest. So here are a few questions to ask yourself if you are on the fence.
Do you have a fever?
There are many symptoms that will not necessarily interfere with work, such as a slight runny nose (just keep tissues handy). But fever is a good reason to draw a line.
When you have a fever, your body will want you to wrap yourself up and get into bed. Thus, you will not be able to do most of the work. Even if you get a fever every now and then, chances are it will come back before the end of the working day and you won’t be at your best during that time. Get back to bed.
Are your symptoms above or below the neck?
It’s an old runner’s saw, but I think it applies here as well. Runners say it’s OK to exercise if your symptoms only appear above the neck (nasal congestion, nasal congestion), but stay home if any symptoms extend below the neck (phlegmatization of the lungs, fever, muscle aches, general fatigue).
You don’t have to follow this dividing line exactly, but you get the idea. In the same way that a fever signals that your body needs time to rest, the same can be said for symptoms such as fatigue and vomiting.
Will you actually be productive?
Let’s ask another question: if you decide to work, what will your working day actually be like? If you’re sitting at your desk feeling mostly fine but occasionally reaching for napkins – yes, that sounds like a reasonable work day from home.
On the other hand, if you struggle to think coherently, struggle with sleep, constantly run to the bathroom, or cough uncontrollably all day, sitting at your desk for eight hours is definitely not going to do you any good. your employer. Get everyone out of trouble by letting them know you won’t be available.
How will you spend the day if you refuse?
I put this question last because it is likely to cause the most concern. If you have a cold, is it possible to do something pleasant, like watching TV? If you can physically get to the pharmacy to buy cough medicine, does that mean you should have worked instead?
I hope these questions sound stupid, because they are. If you need to rest, rest . Yes, you can watch TV and read books while relaxing. Ideally, you’ll have someone to buy your medicine and make you soup, but if not, there’s nothing hypocritical about using the small amount of available energy to go grocery shopping. (However, wear a mask to keep germs from spreading.)
A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself where you will be working. If you can only imagine working if you take your laptop to bed with you, then you should stay in bed and not put your laptop in it.
On the other hand, if you’re thinking “I’ll spend all day working on that novel I’m writing” or “Time to work in the yard”, you’re not looking at a real sick day, but you may need a mental break due to burnout. . That’s fine and good, but it’s a completely different set of questions to ask yourself.