How to Care for Yourself When You Have to Work and Are Feeling Unwell

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​Next week, I’m planning to be sick - said no one ever.

As physicians we take an oath to first do no harm. And we work tirelessly to promote health, healing and well-being for an endless number of patients.

So what happens when the physician is the one who is unwell and in need of healing?

Ironically, most of the physicians I know don’t take the advice that they give to their patients. The reasons are multi-factorial, and include working in a system that rewards “pushing through” and being productive even at the cost of their own health. This mindset also carries over to physicians working in a nonclinical career.

While we wait for the system to change (thank you to all the dedicated individuals who are championing this cause), we can focus on the small, yet meaningful ways that we can care for ourselves when we are not feeling 100%.

Here are 3 questions you can ask yourself:

1. What do I most need right now and how can I take 1 step to give that to myself, guilt-free?

When we’re soldiering on we don’t pause long enough to check in with how we’re doing. Notice how you’re feeling and get in touch with what your mind and body need. Maybe it’s a brief nap (ask a nurse or co-worker to make sure you’re up in 20-30 min), an abbreviated work day, a nourishing meal, hydrating really well or getting a ride to and from work so you don’t have to expend energy on your commute. Once you figure out what you need, give yourself permission to have it.

2. How can I make THIS simpler?

This could be the task at hand, the work day ahead, etc. Our intellect has gotten us far in our career and it creates a tendency to over-analyze and over-complicate things, unnecessarily. Focus on what you have control over and quickly brainstorm how you can simplify the things that you need to do when you’re not feeling well. An example is picking up dinner or ordering delivery to take meal planning and cooking off the table.

3. What do I need to let go of to facilitate my healing?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask. Take the time to answer it. Sometimes the things you release are just as important as the things you add to your life. I’ve found it valuable to look at what outdated beliefs I can let go of that no longer serve me. Examples include reassessing the belief that work needs to feel hard to be valuable, that asking for help is a sign of weakness and allowing myself to rest when there is an endless list of things to be done is equivalent to laziness. Freeing up these thoughts creates room to adopt new beliefs that support caring for yourself, valuing your own health and well-being as much as you value your loved ones, patients and co-workers.

I hope these questions are a start to your finding ways to care for yourself while meeting your work obligations. And of course there are the times when the best thing to do is to stay home. May you dons the confidence and courage to make that decision when needed.

Are there other questions you would add to this list? Share your suggestions in the comments below.