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Showing Up To Work When You're Sick Is Stupid And Counterproductive
Statistically, you have gone to work when you were sick, probably because you felt like you didn't have a choice. Whether it's because you don't have any paid sick days, had to power through in order to meet a deadline, or both, this is one of the most stupidly self-destructive habits our society claims to admire.
We'll start with the obvious, which is that by pressuring you to work, your boss is putting everyone in the office at risk of catching your flu, including some older people who maybe can't bounce back from it so easily. This, of course, creates more work for you when everyone else inevitably gets sick.
And hey, speaking of more work, you're statistically probably making a ton of mistakes that you're going to have to fix later. Because, and stay with us here, when you're sick, you're by definition not firing on all cylinders. Even something as simple as a stuffy head and feeling run down means your productivity and attention to detail takes a demonstrable hit. But at least your supervisor can get a pat on the back for having inspired you to power through the adversity, right?
Of course, working while sick also extends the duration of your illness, often by weeks, and that's if it doesn't straight up make it worse. After all, work creates stress, and stress weakens the immune system, which you might recognize as that thing you need to fight off viruses and infections. More than that, working while sick actually drags down your opinion of your job in the long run, exhausting you emotionally and putting you at risk for future cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and burnout.