We all get sick and have instances when outside work influences affect our ability to focus and even attend our regularly scheduled work times. Fortunately, many organizations plan for this and allow their people to have paid sick days and even some “mental health” days to help people accommodate these very human factors.
Unfortunately, not everyone has these benefits, and often those days are limited or insufficient. What then?
Unpaid leaves may be available, and employers may allow extra sick days depending on the circumstances; some don’t, and people already under pressure find themselves unemployed or having to make very difficult choices.
What if there was a way to diffuse at least some of the variables that exist? What could you do to avoid being in that situation?
Prevention:
Get enough sleep – I don’t sleep enough; experts recommend for most adults 7-9 hours each night; if you don’t get enough quality sleep, you can experience trouble focusing, become irritable, and your immune system can also suffer. Try to use the 12-3-2-1 approach don’t consume any caffeine 12 hours before bed; don’t consume any alcohol or food 3 hours before bed; stop working 2 hours before bed; and don’t use any screen (computer, phone, or TV) less than 1 hour before bed. Also, it is helpful to read before bed.
Wash Your Hands Frequently – During the pandemic people wore masks and washed their hands, not only did this protect them from COVID-19, it also had a dramatic affect on colds, flus, and other viruses. Washing your hands with hot soap and water for 20-25 seconds can help you avoid picking up communicable diseases especially after being in public spaces, touching doors, using public washrooms, and carry hand sanitizers. Even consider using a paper towel to open and close washroom doors.
Get and stay current with your vaccinations – Vaccinations save lives, in the 20th century most major killer diseases were eradicated by modern science, and now, due to misinformation and polarizing politicians many of these diseases are making a comeback. Vaccinations are widely available and are safe.
Stay Healthy by exercising – Get outside, work inside, walk, run, stretch, ride a bike, swim; there are so many ways to stay healthy, and all can help reduce sick time.
Eat Properly – Visit a dietitian, talk to your health care professional, eat three balanced meals each day if possible, and make healthy food choices when purchasing food. As a Type 1 diabetic, I can appreciate the difference eating properly, has for me, but it can be for everyone. I appreciate not everyone has access to good food choices, so seek out community resources as many communities have “Good Food Box” programs, “Community Gardens,” and other supports available. Additionally, certain foods such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, citrus, and greens can boost your immune system. Vitamin supplements can help too.
Keep your medical checkups current – Schedule and attend checkups with your doctor, nurse practitioner, dentist, and other specialists; as many serious medical problems can be prevented through early intervention.
Avoid harmful things – Energy drinks, food or drinks with excess sugar, smoking and vaping, and risky activities can all lead to negative consequences for your health and your ability to work.
Listen to your body – Too often many of us will “Push through early symptoms” instead of realizing our bodies need rest and as a result, we can often become sicker than we need to.
Keep Your Living and Workspace Clean – Wipe down and sanitize your kitchen and cooking surfaces, washroom and shower, laundry spaces, and other items in your home and work areas.
Managing your anxiety and sense of being overwhelmed:
Get organized – Long-term anxiety and stress can be as unhealthy to you as any other disease. Reducing stress and pressure by using a schedule, checklist, and other organizational tools can have a major effect on reducing your stress.
How do you eat an elephant – One bite at a time – Break your tasks into manageable steps. Anxiety and being overwhelmed often result from trying to do too much at the same time. Reduce both by making a plan and working through prioritized steps.
Create and use routines – Just like being organized, creating daily routines to manage stressful tasks and situations can have a dramatic reduction in your stress and pressure.
Keep a list of things that are working – Often, we focus on problems and things that are not working; balance and perspective are important ways of balancing things in your life, and a short list of daily accomplishments can help you.
Recognize you are stressed – Acknowledge how you are feeling, take a step back if possible, use breathing techniques, and stay focused on what you can accomplish, not everything that has to be done.
Don’t Doomscroll – People are often overwhelmed by the stories they read, listen to, or see in the media. Remember, “good news” doesn’t get ratings, and often the majority of stories are negative. Check the news when you have time to critically consider what has been reported and try to avoid news before going to bed.
Don’t set your stage for failure – When possible, avoid scheduling back-to-back commitments repeatedly which increase your stress and pressure without allowing any “break-time.” Your schedule should allow breaks and lunchtime, so make sure you use them … I need to do a better job of this myself.
Use stress antidotes – In addition to taking advantage of breaks, know what works for you as ways to alleviate stress, you might use calming music, deep breathing, a fidget toy, favorite quotes, or a walk around the building; these all can help reduce your stress and benefit your health. Another excellent stress antidote is to connect with a coworker and share how you are feeling.
Avoid comparisons on social media – Comparing your “everyday life” to other people’s “highlight reels” is a recipe for increased stress; your life and accomplishments are not a contest with your friends and family.
Not burning out and striving for some kind of balance:
Parameters, boundaries, advice, and assholes – For me anyway; and for many stressed and overwhelmed people I have met, having parameters and boundaries of what is and what is not acceptable is a key component to managing stress. They could include what working hours you are prepared to accept, the limits of dealing with unreasonable people (assholes) you have, and just how much-unwanted advice you can stand before you “pop.” It is beyond the scope of this blog today to dive into all of these; however, simply knowing it is acceptable to create parameters and boundaries for yourself will help.
Plan an “off-day” – I appreciate the importance of being highly motivated, extremely reliable, and super dependable; however, you can’t look after anyone or anything else unless you take care of yourself. Find one day a month to go offline, read, cook, hang out with friends or family, or whatever you do outside of work and indulge yourself in real life.
Use Sick Days Before You Burn Out – If you have “sick or personal days,” … use them. I have not used a sick day this century, and I should have; my employer never even noticed, and my family suffered as a result. If you feel the need to step off the “work highway” because you are overwhelmed and stressed, the world will not stop for one day.
Learn to Say “No” respectfully – I know I take pride in being able to carry a “heavy workload,” but I have learned that not every burden must be shouldered by me nor, does it have to be done this second. Ask your employer about when an additional task must be done or if they would mind giving it to someone else if you are stressed or overwhelmed.
Multitasking is a myth – Trying to do and focus on more than one task at a time is virtually impossible. You will be less stressed and less overwhelmed if you focus on one prioritized task at a time rather than dividing your attention into two or more tasks.
Create a workstation that works for you – Some like a clutter-free work area, some like plants or pictures; if it is possible, create a space that helps and motivates you, allowing you to focus and make your contribution.
You will be more valuable the less stressed or overwhelmed you are – When we bury ourselves in our work, we tend to become less involved in the other work being done, we notice less, and we can be less open to fresh ideas. I have been guilty of this many times and each time I reduced the excess pressure, I was able to contribute more ironically.
Having a crisis mindset is not healthy long-term – Having the ability to be calm, poised, and action-oriented in a crisis is a very valuable skill; however, being able to have a team or organization that can function, anticipate, and avoid crises is equally or perhaps even more valuable.
Like many people I know and have worked with, being stressed and overwhelmed is something I have encountered, have lived with, and anticipate I may have to live with in the future; mine and your ability to avoid and diffuse those situations will make you healthier, happier, and less prone to take excessive sick days.
Good luck,
Paul.