Be honest, how many of you have sent this message to your boss or your team?
“I’m not feeling well so I’m going to work from home today”
I’m guilty of it too, I’ve spent many a day curled up on my couch, hair messily tied up, packet of Panadol in one hand, laptop in the other, desperately trying to finish off a report while my fever climbed.
Honestly, Outlook should have a Google-style “Did you mean?” prompt for this line:
“I’m not feeling well so I’m going to work from home today”
Did you mean? “I’m not feeling well, I’m going to take some time off to recover”
That’s much better.
The problem is, most of us don’t even think to take the second option. We’ve trained ourselves to push through and convinced ourselves that working from home with a tea and panadol is the same thing as resting.
But let’s be clear:
- Working from home + tea + panadol ≠ rest.
- Rest = rest.
And it’s the only way we truly recover when we’re unwell.
Here’s the kicker, when we finally do stop, whether it’s because our body forces us to, or because the last item on our to-do list is ticked off, guilt sets in.
We actually feel bad for giving our body something it desperately needs.
When you think about it like that, it doesn’t make much sense, does it?
The truth is, when we keep working while sick, our body stays in sympathetic activation, the “fight or flight” mode, because we’re stressed.
Healing doesn’t happen in that mode. It can’t.
Healing, repair, and immune function all happen in the parasympathetic state, the “rest and digest” mode.
In other words, our body literally can’t fully recover until we slow down enough for our nervous system to switch gears.
I get it, as high-achieving perfectionists, slowing down feels frustrating. You’ve got a million things on your to-do list, you’ve written out a plan for your week, you’ve got meetings booked in and a list of things you want to accomplish.
My first thought when I feel a cold coming on is “I don’t have time for this, I’ve got too much on”. And honestly, I can always fill my calendar with “too much on”.
But these days, when I find myself judging myself for catching a cold, I’ve learnt to instead pause in those moments and ask:
“What support does my body need right now?”
And that question has been much more effective than powering through.
If you’re currently pushing through but deep down you know you need to rest, this week’s mini episode might just be the reminder you need:
Listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Remember, we are at our best, most creative selves when we look after both our body and our mind.
Repeat after me: Rest is productive. I don’t have to earn rest.
I hope that’s a helpful reminder this week.
– Nat
PS If you’re currently resisting rest and instead pushing through, reply to this email, I’d love to unpack that with you.
PPS While flu-ridden on the couch last week, I binge-watched all 3 seasons of The Gilded Age. No regrets, I love a good period drama. Any suggestions on what I should move on to next?
