If you’re under the weather, it’s likely you’re also feeling guilty about being sick. Maybe it’s because we cannot will our bodies to behave as normal or how our absence will disrupt life for others. The guilt over being ill causes us additional stress as we try to determine how sick we must be to stay home from work or obligations. Is feeling run down a good enough excuse? Do we need to have a stuffy nose as well as a horrendous cough? It’s no easier to make such determinations for our children who may truly be sick but just as likely could be trying to avoid something at school.
In this ounce of Persuasion fast chat, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson bemoan the challenges of dealing with bodies that need extra care and rest, usually at inopportune times. How do we know when to admit our frailties and stay home to recuperate? Why does our society praise people who push through and gut out an illness while scoffing at those who admit they are only human? If you have ever found yourself feeling guilty about being sick, this episode is for you.
Listen to Persuasion Episode 86:
More from Episode 86:
The Productive Person’s Guide To Taking Sick Days, FastCompany.com