Dealing with feeling guilty about calling in sick to work is a common experience for many. Sick days are a vital part of recovery from illness and help you to remain healthy and productive at work.
There's no reason to be racked with guilt over missing a day or two of work because you don't feel well. If you do have deadlines that can't be pushed or something important to attend to, see if there's another team member who can help out.
When we're ill, we often give in to the pressure to carry on working –whether that's a perceived external pressure, or the expectations and standards we set for ourselves. It's easy to fall into this trap when we have deadlines to meet, work on commission, or have a team that relies on us.
In other words, it should be okay to take days off when you need them. You need to if you're going to bring your best self to work each day. And if you're taking off for that reason, that it's not so much a lie as it is a different kind of sick day.
If an employee is normally a good employee and doesn't call in sick much, the boss probably won't be unsympathetic. If the employee is known for calling in sick regularly or is known for calling in sick when they really aren't sick, the boss may be unsympathetic.
"Not only is it not selfish to call in sick, it is Selfirst - the practice of meeting your own needs as a priority, in ways that do not do harm to others, and sometimes can benefit them. It is actually taking care of the needs of others as well."
The top five reasons employees abstained from taking days off from work are as follows: pressure from management (23%), informing a supervisor about sickness made them anxious (21%), pressure from team members (21%) the fear that they have already taken too many sick days (12%), and the worry that calling out will ...
Be brief. Avoid a long-winded explanation about your illness or any doctor's appointments you might have. Simply let them know you feel ill and will be out for the day.
So given that we have such high expectations about our productivity, it would make sense that we would feel guilty when we don't meet them or when we feel like we haven't met them. That's what guilt is there for. It's a signal that things are not going the way we think they should.
You can be fired for taking a fake sick day
Twenty-six percent of employers said they have fired someone who had lied when calling in sick. You don't need to provide a reason for why you are sick, but it's best to be honest and tell your boss that you need a day in order to get yourself back on track.
But if there's one thing you really need to be careful about at work, it's calling in sick when you're not, in fact, ill. Faking sickness to snag time off is a fairly common practice these days, with an estimated 40% of workers calling in sick when they're perfectly fine.
It's important to apologize for any inconvenience caused by your absence, as this effectively demonstrates team morale and responsibility.
Many people prefer to say simply “I am taking the day off sick today” and are reluctant to share any specific health information with their supervisors. Generally, it's more polite to provide at least a general idea of what has happened to you and how long you expect to stay away from work.
You should ask for sick leave as soon as you know you need it. For example, you could notify your team several weeks in advance if you've had surgery scheduled. Or, in cases where you can feel the flu coming a day before it starts, you can call in sick as a precautionary measure.
If you normally text with your employer, texting in sick would be acceptable. However, if communication is normally done via the phone, sending a text might not be appropriate. Also, asking someone else in the office to pass along your message typically isn't appropriate.
You can call in sick for any mental health reason, diagnosed or not, including: anxiety disorders.
Other times it may not be so cut-and-dried, and you may be tempted to push it, especially if you don't get paid for sick days or if you have an important meeting or test. “In general, if you have a fever, cough or fatigue, you should stay home,” says Kevin Hur, MD, a rhinology specialist at Keck Medicine of USC.
Whether you're experiencing a sudden illness, need to tend to your mental health, or simply have symptoms you don't want to share, often calling in sick is best for yourself and your team.
If you have a cold or the flu and have moist and frequent coughing, you are still contagious and the cough will spread the virus to those around you. 4 In this case, it is best to stay home until the cough calms down or does not bring up phlegm. Frequent, deep coughing is disruptive to the work environment.
Your Living Situation
No one at work needs to know about your living situation, whether you're at home with your parents or struggling to make your mortgage payment. This is another aspect of your life that could cause others to judge you or create or a problem for you where your boss is concerned.
If you don't feel that you can be as productive as usual because of your illness, many employers might prefer that you take the time off to recover and give your best effort when you return.
What to Do When You Take a Sick Day. The next time you wake up ill, the best practice is to call in immediately and request a sick day. It is up to you whether you choose to disclose brief details upfront. If your employer asks, you should provide general details, unless your illness is protected by the ADA.
Wishing you good health and sending positive thoughts your way. I hope you bounce back soon. Sending wishes for strength and a speedy recovery. I'm sorry to hear you've been sick.