Sick Culture

I regularly hear of people who go to their jobs while they are sick.  I've done it.  Sometimes they go to work because they will lose pay if they take a sick day.  Sometimes they go to work while sick because it is too difficult to find a replacement for their position, like teachers.  Sometimes they go to work while sick because they think they are being tough and strong.  The worst reason people go to work sick is because they feel they must.

Sometimes the "sick" culture leads people to believe they aren't allowed to be sick.  They are pressured to feel badly if they are sick and choose to stay home.  The inconvenience they cause everyone else forces them to return to work even if they aren't healthy yet.  When my oldest was only eighteen months old my husband got very ill.  He was completely bed ridden and his throat was so swollen he could only drink Ensures for sustenance.  He lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks.  His bosses, at the time, weren't worried about him or encouraging him to rest and get better.  They were anxious for him to return, they let him know that he was making it difficult for them since they had to pick up his duties.  They also made comments implying that he was exaggerating his illness, their behavior implied he wasn't as sick as he said.  They weren't with him everyday watching him, unable to speak or eat.

Today we have sick people at work spreading germs to other people who will become sick and spread those germs and the cycle will not end.  Also, when you don't stop and get healthy, you can actually become more sick.  In October of 2012 I had a cold.  I kept working, parent teacher conferences meant 13 hour days.  At the same time, I was diagnosed with cancer, moving my stress level through the roof.  Before I knew it I had pneumonia. 

I hope when you get ill or get hurt you have people around you who feel badly that you are under the weather and encourage you to take the time to let your body heal and recover.  I hope they know that you can't heal while giving of your time and energy.

I had a boss a while back that didn't always know how to be the best boss, but if I came to school sick, he would send me home.  He never made me feel badly for taking a day off or leaving early.  I stumbled into his office one afternoon to tell him I couldn't finish the day.  He immediately got someone to cover my class and sent me home.  He didn't act like I had inconvenienced him or that it was a problem.  It was more important to him that I was healthy.  He treated me like I was more important than the job.

This past week, my current boss realized that everyone in the school was getting sick and cancelled school for two days to give everyone a chance to get healthy.  When I heard the news I felt like I was flying.  The weight I was carrying on my shoulders was lifted.  I felt a cold coming on and instead of worrying about whether or not I could make it through my school days, I had two days to heal.  I felt valued as a person.  I was more important than my job.

At the end of they day, you always have to take care of yourself.  It is okay to be ill.  It is okay to take time to get better.  It is okay to know that you are valuable enough to nourish and you will always be more important than some job.