Know when to Stay Home with a Cold

Why is it so difficult to decide whether or not to call in sick? I used to think that I was alone, but apparently this is a stressful decision for many other people. Personally, I will agonize over the decision. I find myself wondering if I have enough "discretionary time" at work to last until I receive more hours. I will also worry about falling behind and having more work to wade through once I return to the office. There's also the fear of missing out on some sort of opportunity. In fact, I remember one time, earlier this year, when I had "walking pneumonia." Although I just wanted to stay home and wallow in sickness, I forced myself to keep going to work because I was desperately seeking a promotion. While I earned that promotion, I did have to suffer through a few days of sheer misery in order to do so. I'm not saying that you should take a page from my book; rather, I'm just illustrating some of the reasons that we all stress out over a decision that should be much simpler. Well, let's try to tackle some of the stress behind this decision: if you find yourself feeling under the weather, and you suspect that a cold is to blame, what should you consider before making the decision to call in sick or go to work?

Before making any decisions it would be wise to determine how sick you really are. More to the point, you need to determine whether you have a cold or if something else is affecting you. Generally speaking, people will use the term "cold" to apply to almost anything. However, a cold is something that specifically affects your head- your nose and throat, to be exact. Symptoms of a cold can include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy/watery eyes, and a general feeling of congestion. If you have any additional symptoms then you may want to consider a visit to your doctor. It's possible that you may have a respiratory infection or some other form of viral/bacterial infection that requires more treatment than a common cold. If it's a cold, then congratulations- you can expect at least seven days of misery and mucus. Quite the combination!

If you're sure that you have a cold, then the next thing you should consider is how long you've been feeling under the weather. Colds are very contagious. They can be spread to other people through physical contact, breathing the same air, or having you cough and/or sneeze in their direction. Gross, I know, but this happens pretty often at my office so I thought it should be mentioned here. If you're just starting to experience the effects of a cold then it's better to call in sick now, while you're contagious, rather than waiting until you're feeling a bit better. Not only will you help yourself by getting a head start on conquering the cold, you'll also be sparing your co-workers the same fate. Despite our medical advancements, there is still no cure for the common cold. Still, there are plenty of over-the-counter and home remedies that ease the symptoms. The best way to tackle a cold is to drink plenty of fluids, eat some healthy food, and get plenty of rest. Despite your best efforts, a cold will generally last for about seven days. Just grin and bear it.

When you make the decision to call in sick, don't behave as though you've just earned a vacation day. This is not a day to be productive or to venture into the outside world and social. Use the time to take care of yourself. This seems fairly obvious, but if you're anything like me you might get a silly notion in your head to be productive around the house; many of my friends have also allowed themselves to be talked into leaving the house for some sort of social activity. Do everyone a favor and just stay home. The only exception would be leaving the house in order to buy some medicine. Otherwise, plan on spending the day in your pajamas, armed with a box of Kleenex and the remote control. If you have other people in the household- especially children- then try to stay away from them as much as possible. Sharing is caring, but not so much when you're sick. The warm glow of the TV can be your companion, for now.

Calling in sick can be a stressful experience. You may worry about having enough paid time left over for anything else that may come your way. Unfortunately, forcing yourself to work when you're sick- even if you're just suffering from a cold- can pose negative consequences for you and your co-workers. Whatever your decision, just make sure that you're armed to handle the consequences. A cold is going to stay in your system for at least seven days; if alleviating the symptoms with some over-the-counter medication will enable you to work then go for it. The most important thing is to listen to your body and respond to it accordingly. If your symptoms worsen, or show no signs of improving, then go ahead and take a sick day; schedule an appointment with your doctor. If you're able to continue working, then hop to it. Please, just don't sneeze on some unsuspecting co-worker. Ultimately, the decision is up to you; choose wisely. Your health depends on it.