I’m not feeling well today, so it seems like the perfect opportunity to talk about one of the biggest dichotomies of running your own business:
On one hand, you have no one to tell you that you can’t lie on the couch all day and watch soccer. On the other hand, if you aren’t working, you probably aren’t making money.
So, what do you do when the inevitable sick day strikes? (And I’m talking about the kind of sick day where you feel too off to focus on work, but just well enough to feel guilty about not working.)
- Catch up on the easy stuff. Sick days can be the perfect time to catch up on email, blogs, social media, or read your favorite biz magazine or book.
- Rely on your team. This is another good reason to argue for bringing in outside help for your business. If you’ve got an intern, VA, or someone that does piecework for you, you’ve got a support system you can rely on to pick up the slack of a day off.
- Daydream (with a little planning thrown in). Often, when we’re stuck in the day to day grind of our businesses, it can be difficult to find time to plan (or dream) about the direction our business is headed. Use your sick day as the opportunity to daydream about where you want your business, and your life, to go.
- Relax. Sometimes your body really does need the day off. After all, isn’t it better to miss one day to care for yourself properly then a whole week because you didn’t? So give yourself permission to take the day off when you’re sick. Your business will still be here tomorrow.
How do you view sick days? (Me? I’m off to watch a little more World Cup action.)
I’m sick today, too! Luckily it’s just a nasty cough–I’m still good to go. But just this morning I was pondering entreprenuership & sick days…great post, as always, Megan! All great tips in here!
Thanks Krista – feel better soon!
Feel better, Megan!
Thanks, Sarah!
I do currently have a day job with sick days… but that being said, even *with* paid sick days, it took me awhile to learn that it’s better to take one sick day and feel better within 24 hours than it is to refuse to take that sick day and be out for nearly a week later. Sacrificing a little productivity in the short term helps to boost you creativity in the long term.
I really like your suggestions for how to make the most of a sick day, because even when I do take a sick day I find myself feeling so guilty about not accomplishing anything… usually I make it til lunch time, then go stir crazy and start cleaning the whole house just so I can get off my butt, which backfires, because by the end of the day I feel sicker than when I started! 😛
Hope you feel better soon!!
Thanks Steph – I know sometimes I have to just force myself and park it on the couch and relax until I feel better. (Luckily I’ve got a laptop!)
I am sick today too. I am just doing some work from bed.
Maybe we should just declare today universal sick day. Hope you feel better soon.
Count me in on the sick camp. Although, I’m getting over bronchitis. I think that is what I am struggling with – it’s more than just one sick day and I ended up having to give up a job because it involved baking. So sad!
michelle – hope you get better soon. but you’re right, baking and bronchitis don’t mix.
Hi Megan,
Hope you feel better soon 🙂
Sick days can be a difficult one, sometimes you really just need to be in bed and relaxing. But I have to say most of the time I muster the energy to potter about on the internet at least.
thanks Laura!
Actually, I seem to have a lot fewer “sick days.”
But when it’s just too much, I catch up on my reading.
what’s your secret Dave?
(actually, i tend to not have a lot either, but when i do, they seem to knock me out)
I decided to take a day off from working in my studio today. I worked all weekend, so today I got caught up on housework and stuff that has fallen behind. I rewarded myself with reading time and internet time. It kind of felt like a sick day because I didn’t get any studio work done, but I know I will feel better about setting foot in my studio tomorrow because I got some house chores out of the way. And I think when you are sick and need to rest, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. It’s a chance to recharge your batteries. Seems ironic, but sometimes by getting sick you allow yourself to slow down and recharge. And sometimes by not thinking about a project, the solution comes.
Alex – totally true. I don’t work in my studio every day, so when I do, it makes me feel fresh and ready to go. (hmmm, perhaps I should try that trick with the internet.)
Maybe it’s silly, but I find I can get a whole lot done when I’m sick and I’m got a “fuzzy-head.”
I need to focus really hard to get things done, but because my brain is so tired, I don’t get distracted and my mind doesn’t wander. I guess I’m pretty productive when I’m jacked up on sudafed.
It can be so hard to just give in a take care of myself. If I have had a bad night’s sleep I always feel so much better if I just take a short nap and go back to work. When I fight it and try to push through I work at half the pace anyways.
I can be really hard on myself, instead I should be the best boss I have ever had. Cause I can.