Sick Days…in a Whole New Light
Ugh, I’m sick today. Got the sore throat, aching body, and overall feeling of icky-ness. Because I own a business and work for myself, I cannot exactly get away with a whole day of not working. But thankfully, I do have the option to be sick in the comfort of my own home. (Add THAT to the growing list of reasons to work from home!)
I remember what it was like to go to the office while being sick – being trapped in the office all day so as to preserve my precious “sick days.” Of course, I did not go in when I was terribly sick – that is not only irresponsible, but just plain dumb. Give your body rest when it needs it, and spare others your germs.
Of course, that is not so easy for parents (of which I now am).
Recently I was dismayed to read an article describing the plight of the working moms and dads of today – having to go to work sick, in order to use their sick days to stay home when their children are ill. We sadly live in a world in which working parents are juggling to try to raise a family and maintain their careers – all the while doing so in, what USA Today calls, an “uncertain economic environment that demands productivity.”
According to the article, several studies convey that working parents give up personal care time, sleep and recovery time from illnesses in order to be with their children when they are ill.
This is why this country is in desperate need of a major overhaul for the sake of working families. Flexibility in the workplace, in order to accommodate our families, needs to be improved greatly. Some companies are already doing it, but NOT enough.
So, this again brings me to the conclusion why working from home is an optimal decision. Feel sick? Bring your computer to bed with you and do as much work as your body and mind will allow. Have a sick child? Working from home will enable you to tend to him or her while getting your work-related tasks done. Is there really a better choice out there for working families?
This is one of the reasons why I decided to search for a work-at-home position once I decided to re-enter the work force after a 5 year break to stay home with my kids. It was great! And being able to be sick at home IS one of those important pluses. Having the ability to stay home with a sick child with no repercussions is a rarity. And that is why I continue to work from home. I’m still able to work and take care of my “best investments”.
Hi Sharon, I am so glad you were able to find work from home in order to best meet the needs of your family. These are stories I love to hear! Thanks for sharing!
OMG, you couldn’t have pegged it any clearer than if I had written that myself. This is EXACTLY how I feel…having to go to work sick since my husband and my PTO days have to be used for the kids when they are sick or on school vacations. Working for someone who is single, will never marry and has no kids makes it incredibly difficult to get any type of flexibility with my hours (or sympathy for that matter) and I’ve been at this company for almost 8 years! I feel so trapped in my job which I’m returning to after being off for six months with a medical issue. As a bummer as it was, it was incredibly joyful and rewarding to have extra time with my children and my parents who are retired. I’m dreading returning to the “cave” of a cubicle on Tuesday. I’ve been looking for a work at home opportunity that is scam free and will let me set my own hours to no avail. I refuse to give up though. I stumbled on your site and will keep checking for leads by bookmarking your site. I check craigslist EVERY day and have e-mailed my resume to two opportunities. Pray that I find something soon, for my own sanity as I get to work all around the holidays since I have no PTO accrued! It just sucks!! Thanks for letting me vent!
Hi Toni, I am so glad you have found this site! I will pray that you find the work from home opportunity that best suits you and your family. Be sure to keep us posted!
Good luck to you!
Thanks Karissa, I appreciate the kind words and I sure will!