AIBU to request tips about taking a sickie? WWYD?

[tripartitealliance]

I haven't done this sickie thing before. Ever.
Tomorrow afternoon I am due to give presentation. I said I would do it and I organised it. Whilst some people have put time aside for it specially and it is vaguely important-cum-relevant to others, it is not a presentation that will solve world peace or prevent anyone from putting children's toys in gendered sections in the supermarket ever again. But if I cancel it for no good reason I will look like a knob. Like, really, a total knob. If I am sick people will probably be put out a bit, but honestly not really think about it much and will take it as being rescheduled and get on with their own things.
I thought I'd have enough time to do the research today, but have been absolutely swamped at work. Looking at what needs to be done tonight (in between getting DC ready for bed and actually into bed!) and what other really important things need to be done tomorrow morning at work, there is no way I can finish it to an acceptable standard either for myself or for others. Also, all my stockings are laddered
So, the only way forward is, I have decided, to take a sickie. A brand new experience for me, as I would usually always come into work even if I am quite ill; I'd either have to be at SARS-level infectious or be pretty much dead already to stay at home when required to be in the office for something important.
Please therefore be so kind as to advise which is least likely to look suspicious under the circumstances. Should I
(a) surreptitiously let colleague/s know tonight already that I'm feeling a bit under the weather, and if so should I make it an email or an off-hand social media sort of comment;
(b) inform colleagues tomorrow morning first thing that I won't be in the office as I'm feeling under the weather, and thus need to postpone the presentation too; or
(c) inform colleagues mid-morning that I've been feeling under the weather (??and have popped into the GP for an emergency appointment??) and won't be able to make it in today, and thus need to postpone the presentation. (They won't, for the record, question if I'm not there first thing as the nature of the work often means people arrive at their desks anywhere between 7am and 11am).
WWYD? Help!

They will probably work it out, you know.

Honestly, no one will think any worse of you if you tell the truth. You can say you'd hope to complete it tonight but just can't prepare adequately in the time available. Then say, when

Throwing a sickie on the day you are supposed to do a presentation is a bit obvious.

What will you do if they ask for the slides or whatever you've prepared?

I just think getting conveniently ill and missing a presentation is going to look really suspicious, like when teenagers get "ill" before tests or exams. I don't know many bosses that would really believe it, unless it was genuine and backed up with a sick note.

Yeah, in my work they'd say ok, just email what you've got and we'll get someone else to do it....

clash sssshhhht. You're making me nervous.

I never believe people when they "lay the land" for taking a sickie...lots of references to feeling "under the weather" and "a bit fluey". I just think they're malingering bastards. Go to your work and stop messing people about. Folk aren't daft, they'll know what you're up to.

Also if you've got time to mumsnet, you've got time to research! stern

Whether you pull a sickie or whether you confess: they will know why you aren't there tomorrow. So better to be honest. As George R.R. Martin says, 'Once you've accepted your flaws, no-one can use them against you.'

Don't lie.

Postone it, or do it. Work thought the night if you have to

It's terribly unprofessional of you otherwise.

I'm really sorry, I would just cobble something together (and wear trousers and socks). Never let your desire to be perfect stop you producing something perfectly good enough.

Can you call in a favour from a work colleague to help you do some of the research? This is also the time to summon the Mum Voice and tell your kids in no uncertain terms that they are having an early bedtime and no story as Mum has to save the world tomorrow.

You'll need to take at least two days off, or it'll be too obvious.

I am thinking based on opinions that I'll get done what I can and say it just isn't ready tomorrow morning. I might say I was feeling a bit sick "last night"; I think people will believe me because I am not the type of person who would do this sort of thing. Except now, it seems. Oh, the irony. I don't know what happened that things got so far behind today!
I think nakedfamily has a good point. In fact, I'm right at the end of the little line-up, so maybe people will just want to go home/have tea by then and no-one will care if I just put up a slide of a melted ice-cream cone and a corny inspiring Mark Twain quote to go with some stern stats? Right?

Never let your desire to be perfect stop you producing something perfectly good enough

nice one, meandjulio :)

Thanks for all the quick responses, people. Getting DC out of bath now. Might skip that story!

This is a tricky one. You don't want to look like you over-commit and under-deliver, or can't manage your time effectively. By the same token, calling in sick on the day is risky for the reasons other posters mention.

If I were you, I would email everyone who is due to attend and say sorry for the short notice but you need to reschedule to next week. Then email your boss separately and say you've been snowed under, aren't 100% happy with the content and would actually like to run it by him/her for feedback and builds.

Then you are honest, responsible and paying your boss a compliment.

Most people will just be happy to have a bit of time freed up in their diaries

I'm going to say DON'T throw a sickie for the following reasons:

1. Taking just one day off mid-week is really, REALLY obviously a fake sickie
2. You don't need to - just postpone it. No one will care. They probably don't even want to go (no offence, but I get about 6 invitations per week for practice development/training/knowledge management stuff and they are usually a pain in the arse and no use)
3. My firm has a policy that if you have three short-term (less than a week) sicknesses in a year you have to go to a meeting and explain yourself. I think that's quite tough and would not throw a sickie because it's perfectly possible to genuinely be short-term sick twice in a year and then if you've thrown a sickie that takes it up to 3. Even if your work doesn't have this policy, multiple short term sick leaves looks skivey anyway.
4. It's unprofessional. Sorry, but it is.

Just postpone it.

you should have spoken to your manager today about not being able to finish the presentation. as it stands, when you call in sick your manager is likely to ask you to mail her/him the file, at which point it will become painfully obvious that you didn't finish it on time. which will immediately flag your 'sick day' as less than legit.

so there goes your reputation, when in reality you could probably have resolved this today without resorting to lies and subterfuge.

If all else fails, make your point with a cute cat meme,

People love that shit.

helpful

Don't say you were feeling sick. Don't say it isn't ready. Put your game face on and style it out, you can do this!

Can we help? i've got some cpd of my own I'd rather not be doing

Take 2 days. IMO if you 're unwell enough to be off work you ought to be off for more than one day.

No one will believe that you are ill. Someone who is never off sick suddenly takes the day off when a presentation is due. Unless you are 16 and haven't yet realised the reality of work there is no excuse for not postponing the presentation until you are able to do the work properly. I assume you want to be taken seriously in your work.

If you decide to the sickie option then one day just will not cut it. If you are not the type to be off sick then you will need to put the effort it, and most importantly, you will need to be off on Wednesday and possibly Thursday as well.

So, if this the option you chose then I think post a status on FB about feeling really unwell, either your sickness/stomach or headache/sore throat. Even better, post something about an hour later saying that you are going to be as you feel so ill.

If you have mobile numbers for your colleagues, then I would text them from 7am onwards stating that you are not well/up all night/have not slept and you will not be in. Then follow your company procedures for calling in sick.

Don't forget to email colleagues to request that the meeting is cancelled and to let those attending know.

Then have two days off in front of telly or doing your xmas shopping online.

Enjoy!

Why can't you do the research tonight and present it tomorrow? Stay up late, get into the office early.

Don't pull a sickie!

When I genuinely was sick on the day of a big presentation (woke up covered in chicken pox, not an easy fake ) the first thing my boss said was "Can you dial into a video conference to do it?" and "send me it over and I'll see if I can get someone else to do it"

A sickie won't necessarily get you out of it.