Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Maintaining Performance During Illness
• Part 2 of 3: Mitigating Illness Symptoms
• Part 3 of 3: Preventing the Spread of Disease
• Tips
• Warnings

During illness, it is better to sleep a lot, remember to drink plenty of fluids and do everything to recover faster. However, many of us cannot afford to simply rest while we await our recovery. Some do not have paid sick leave, while others are afraid that a lot of work will accumulate during their illness or they will fall behind in their studies. About 90% of people came to work sick at least once in their lives. If you still need to get work done despite the illness, you can do so by alleviating the unpleasant symptoms and breaking the task down into simpler steps.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Maintaining Performance During Illness

1. 1 Decide if you should go to work or stay at home. You may be feeling so bad that you should stay at home. Doing so will prevent your condition from getting worse and not infect your colleagues. Staying at home will speed up your recovery, and then you can start working with renewed vigor. Think carefully about whether it would be better to stay at home and get treatment.
   • If you have a high fever (over 38 degrees) or a red throat, see your doctor. You should also seek medical attention if you are dehydrated or if your condition has not improved after a few days.
   • Many employees sometimes cannot afford to take sick leave for one reason or another. If you are in this position, you will have to take measures to allow you to work while you are sick.
2. 2 Ask your management if you can work from home using remote access when you are sick. Instead of going to the office, you could do the necessary work for several days while sitting at home.This option is great for both workers, allowing them to recover faster, and for employers, relieving them of the worry that the disease will spread to other employees. Call your management and inquire about this possibility.
   • To work remotely, you will most likely need a reliable computer (laptop) and high-speed Internet, as well as a telephone connection.
3. 3 Keep calm. Working while sick can create additional stress, which in turn will weaken your immune system and delay your recovery. Take a few deep breaths and tell yourself that everything will be okay. Despite your illness, you can get the job done and get well. Of course, the need to work during an illness is not very pleasant, but you will soon recover.
4. 4 If you feel that you are getting sick, organize your work. Sometimes, one or two days before the illness, we feel it approaching. Fatigue, pain, drowsiness appear. If you feel like you have a cold or other illness, tidy up your work so that you do not lose productivity during the illness. Try to complete as many tasks as possible and take some of the work home so you don't have to show up at the office.
5. 5 Break large tasks into smaller pieces. The disease will make it difficult to concentrate and reduce your stamina. To get the job done, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. For work during illness, the "tomato" method is well suited, in which the working time is divided into small intervals of 25 minutes, between which short breaks are arranged.
   • For example, instead of tackling the entire presentation at once, do one slide at a time. After completing the next slide, take a short break with a short nap or a cup of tea.
6. 6 Work on side projects. When you are sick, try to work on projects that are not very important. Thus, you will avoid annoying mistakes in critical projects. Before starting any important work, think about whether it would be better to postpone it until later, until your recovery. During illness, try to choose a routine, secondary job.
   • For example, when you are sick, you can do routine such as examining and cleaning your email, sorting files, making a work calendar for the next month. Try to avoid tasks that require intense mental activity (writing an important report, and so on).
   • It is also helpful to work with drafts rather than final versions of articles or drafts. When your condition improves, you can review and correct them. This will reduce the chance of errors in the final version of your document.
7. 7 Reasonably prioritize. The productivity of workers during illness is only 60% of their productivity in normal conditions. This means that you need to think carefully about what kind of work you need to do during your illness. Review the schedule and deadlines, highlighting the tasks that need to be completed first.
8. 8 Don't expect too much of yourself. It should be understood that during illness, your performance will be reduced. Save your strength and do not demand too much of yourself. Otherwise, you can delay the healing process and even worsen your condition. Do the work if necessary, but also remember to rest and heal.
9. 9 Consider postponing some appointments and projects. It so happens that a certain work must be done on time, and it does not tolerate delay. However, we can often change our work schedule. If you get sick, think about rescheduling some of your appointments - once you recover, you will be able to conduct them more efficiently.Ask to postpone meetings that are not urgent, as well as those that require the maximum impact from you.
10. 10 Take frequent breaks. During illness, you need to rest more often and make sure that your body does not suffer from a lack of fluid. Break your work time into small intervals, separated by breaks. During breaks, make yourself some tea, visit the nearest café, or simply rest your head on the table for a few minutes. Your work will be more effective if you don't push yourself to the best of your ability.
11. 11 Ask for help. If you need to work while you are sick, contact your neighbors, friends, family, or work colleagues. They may be able to support you in some way, such as treating you to soup or helping you edit an important document. We all get sick from time to time, and people close to you and work colleagues will certainly not deny you all possible help.
    • If your coworkers are involved and have helped you, be sure to thank them by not turning down their help when they ask you for it.
12. 12 Drink three times as much water as coffee. It is important that your body does not lack fluid during illness. Sometimes when we work, we need a cup of coffee to cheer up. Do not give up coffee, which will help you collect your thoughts, but also do not forget to drink water. Drink three cups of water for each cup of coffee.
13. 13 Take short sleep breaks. If you work from home, take breaks from time to time to take a nap. Reward yourself with sleep for completing the next important step or task. This will give you the strength to work further and help your body fight disease.
14. 14 Plan to return to full-time work. If you work from home or work part-time during your illness, take a few minutes and plan your activities after you recover from your illness. Make a list of important things to do right after your recovery and start thinking about how you will do it. Be careful and include in the list any tasks that had to be postponed due to illness.
15. 15 Reward yourself. Reward yourself for every successfully completed task. Help yourself to delicious food, hot drinks, do not forget to take a nap, watch your favorite movie. Be proud that you have been able to accomplish so much despite your illness.
16. 16 Try to make good use of your time. You may feel that you are unable to complete assignments required for work or school. For example, you may not be able to concentrate due to illness or simply will not be able to leave the house. If you feel so unwell that you cannot concentrate on your work, try to spend time productively, such as getting some sleep. This will speed up your recovery and your return to full-time work. You can also try to cheer up by cleaning the house or preparing lunch. This will save you time when you feel better. If your health doesn't allow you to focus on work, try doing some other useful activity.

Part 2 of 3: Mitigating Illness Symptoms

1. 1 Take care of yourself. For your work to be effective, you need to take care of yourself. Try to make yourself feel as good as possible before starting work. Removing symptoms may not speed up your recovery, but it will improve your condition. Plus, you'll be better able to do the work ahead.
2. 2 Get everything you need. A variety of medications, foods and drinks can help alleviate unpleasant symptoms. If you don't have them on hand, it might be worth going to your nearest pharmacy or supermarket and stocking up on them.
   • If you are feeling unwell, you can ask a friend or family member to buy supplies for you.
3. 3 Provide your body with enough fluid. It is extremely important for your body to stay hydrated to improve your well-being and speed up recovery. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. It is also good to have a supply of hot tea. While tea is not the only drink that can be consumed during an illness, it can help relieve a sore throat.
   • Do not drink alcohol during illness, as it can dehydrate the body and slow down recovery.
4. 4 Use a nasal spray. An over-the-counter saline nasal spray can help with nasal congestion, sinus headaches, and seasonal allergies. It will help you get rid of excess mucus and allergens, allowing you to think more clearly. The nasal spray can also help soften the lining of the nose if it is too dry or irritated by a cold.
   • When using a nasal spray, keep tissues or a handkerchief with you - you may need to blow your nose.
5. 5 Suck on the ice cubes. It helps to numb the sore throat. This way you can also get extra fluid if your throat is so sore that it is difficult for you to drink.
6. 6 Get over-the-counter drugs. With the help of such drugs, you can relieve many of the symptoms of common diseases. For example, over-the-counter cough drops and syrups, decongestants, pain relievers, and nausea medications are available.
   • Do not take several drugs at once, as their interaction can lead to unpleasant consequences. Read the instructions for use carefully, strictly follow the recommended dosage and watch for an allergic reaction. Over-the-counter drugs also have side effects, so don't treat them like harmless candy.
7. 7 Avoid unnecessary irritants such as smoking. Many illnesses can be aggravated by external stimuli (smoking, strong chemical odors, and so on). Try to stay away from these irritants whenever possible. For example, do not sit in the break room if there are smokers. Try to have a clean, tidy environment around you.
8. 8 Use a steam humidifier. Such a humidifier will help you clear your stuffy nose and breathe normally. When you breathe in, moist air moistens the lining of your nose, helping your body fight infection more effectively. Run the humidifier overnight and, if possible, place it on your desk during the day.
9. 9 Eat healthy, digestible foods. Often during illness, appetite decreases. However, your immune system requires energy from food to fight infection. Try to eat nutritious, easily digestible foods such as broths and soups. Thus, you will also saturate your body with fluid, which is very important during an illness.
10. 10 Take a hot shower. Take a hot shower before starting work. This will help you reduce pain and freshen your head. This method is especially useful if you have a cold, flu, nasal congestion, or seasonal allergies.
11. 11 Apply compresses. During illness, you may experience fever or chills. Cold or warm compresses will help you relieve the heat or chills, respectively. In addition, compresses can help relieve muscle pain associated with certain illnesses (such as the flu).
12. 12 If your condition has not improved within a week, see your doctor. There are many ways to relieve painful symptoms. However, these methods are not always conducive to healing and full restoration of health. In many cases, a symptom reliever will not help recovery at all.If you have not been able to get rid of the disease in seven days, you should see your doctor so that he can establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe an appropriate treatment.

Part 3 of 3: Preventing the Spread of Disease

1. 1 Stay away from your colleagues whenever possible. If you can't avoid coming to school or office, try to keep contact with others to a minimum. Stay away from your classmates or colleagues to avoid infecting them. Another great way to work without exposing your colleagues to the risk of infection is to communicate with them over a computer network and the phone.
2. 2 Wash your hands often. When you are sick, try to wash your hands more often than usual. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 15 seconds to thoroughly cleanse them. This will reduce the risk of infection spreading through the office when, for example, touching doorknobs or a computer keyboard.
3. 3 Cover your mouth. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or sleeve when you cough or sneeze. Sneezing and coughing easily spreads the infection that you want to keep your coworkers safe from. Try not to cover your mouth with your hand, as soon after, pathogens may be on doorknobs, computer keyboards, and other objects you touch. Covering your mouth with your sleeve (elbow) is much safer.
4. 4 Disinfect surfaces. When sick, use disinfectant wipes or sprays to clean surfaces that other people touch. For example, remember to wipe down the handles of doors, drawers, and refrigerator. Try to disinfect any surface that your colleagues may touch after you.
5. 5 Don't use common things. During illness, do not use a shared computer, do not drink from one mug, do not give your colleagues your stapler, pen and the like. If a colleague asks you for something, tell them that you are sick, and therefore it will be better to take the necessary item from someone else.
6. 6 In case of contagious illness, use disposable items. Of course, it's great to use the same things you are used to. Besides convenience, it helps to preserve the environment and save money. However, during illness it is worth giving up your habits slightly. Switch to disposable cups, forks, and plates. Throwing them away immediately after use may help keep your colleagues from getting infected.

Tips

• The best way to stay productive at school or at work is to stay healthy. To do this, get vaccinated on time, get flu shots annually, wash your hands more often and try to touch your face less.
• Going to work during illness (so-called “presenteeism”) should be avoided whenever possible. If you are in a management position, try to ensure that your employees do not go to work when they are sick.

Warnings

• Don't risk your health for work. If your body becomes dehydrated, you have difficulty breathing, or your temperature rises too high, or your condition does not improve after a few days, you should see your doctor. Your job is not worth putting your health in serious danger.
• Be aware that going to school or work while you are sick can slow down your recovery and also put your classmates or colleagues at risk of infection. Consider this when deciding whether or not to go to work.