I’m sure, at some point in life, you’ve come to work when you were sick. We all have. Heck, I’m sick right now! (It’s just a minor cold, I think. No worries.)

Is it the right thing to do? No, probably not. When you’re sick, you should probably take a sick day. It will give you the chance to recover and spare the rest of the office from being exposed to your germs.

But what if that’s not possible? What if you don’t have any sick time or you’ve got a deadline that you’ve got to meet? If that’s the case, you can try to work while sick. Here are some ways to make the process a little easier:

  • Work from home – Ask your boss if it would be OK for you to work from home. If you’re not in the office, you can’t infect your coworkers. Also, you can cough and blow your nose loudly without disturbing everyone around you.
  • Avoid stressful and tiring situations – Do you have a difficult topic that you need to discuss with your boss or coworker? Don’t do it now. Wait until you feel better. And cancel all of the trips and meetings that you possibly can. Stress will only make your immune system weaker.
  • Stay hydrated – Drink lots of liquids, including coffee if you’d like! Just make sure to drink a lot of non-caffeinated beverages as well. And avoid alcohol. It will dehydrate you.
  • Be kind to yourself – Sure, you’ve got work to do. But don’t overdo it. Take lots of breaks and cut your workday short if you can. Eat healthy and get a lot of sleep. You’ve got to give your body a chance to fully recover.

 

Tobak, S. (2013, February 13). How to work when you feel like crap. Inc. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/how-to-work-when-you-feel-like-crap.html