To seriously consider taking a sick day tomorrow due to burn out?

[Lizzie523]

I have been working from home since March and live alone.

For the most part I've done okay but now after 9 months I am struggling to keep going. I'm in Scotland in tier 4 lockdown here which is tough. I've managed to keep going but something has changed.

I moved to a new house last weekend and it was the most stressful period ever. Last weekend I allowed myself to sleep in both weekend days and still woke up tired. Last night I was lying in bed before 7pm feeling I'd been hit by a bus.

Today I got the flu vaccination and had a slight temperature tonight that has improved. Been in bed exhausted again for hours. Lying here tearing up at the thought of getting out of bed again tomorrow. I just want a day to rest. AIBU?

I am taking time off at Christmas but it seems so far away. All my energy seems to have disappeared, I feel like a zombie.

Random suggestion but are you taking vitamin D?

Take the rest of the week off!!

"Hi boss, yes, I'm still in bed. I'm shattered from moving house over the weekend and the flu jab has really whacked me. I can hardly get out of bed. I plan to sleep for the rest of today and take it really easy for the rest of the week. See you on Monday."

Better to have one longer episode of absence and get yourself sorted than to have one short, useless absence, or two episodes.

I am self-employed. Short of being admitted to hospital I cannot have time off. Take the time off. Get better. In 6 months it won't matter.

To be honest.. i think you should take a few days off and also get a covid test? ... i know you said you are burnt out and its probably nothing but you've had a temp and felt exhausted for 3 days.. you have had a symptom (temp) so get one?.... probably wont be but it givea you an excuse to have a couple of days off to get better and also better to be safe than sorry if it does turn out to be positive xx

Who has to cover your work if you take a sickie? Is that person exhausted too? These would be my thoughts.

when my relative used to live in oz she told me they make you take a certain amount of sick days(dont thin its called that)

as in compulsory time to have a rest we shoujld do that here

I found that the day after the flu jab I just needed to sleep. I was supposed to be playing with my toddler but I just fell asleep on the floor, I was just wiped out! Definitely not unreasonable to take a day off.

If you're exhausted and have a temperature I wouldn't assume it's the flu jab. It would be better to stay home and get a test, and get a good rest in the meantime

WFH has been a hard slog for many of us. I find it harder as there’s no natural cut off at the end of the day so it’s tempting to work longer hrs every day. There’s no buffer between home and work.
Lots of my colleagues are feeling down now as there’s no end really in sight... I don’t think you are in your own feeling exhausted. Take a days leave or sick.

We used to be able to take a day or 2 off about a week in advance but they have made a new rule that you must ask a month in advance now.

I'm not sure this is entirely legal? Gov.uk says (my bold):

The general notice period for taking leave is at least twice as long as the amount of leave a worker wants to take, plus 1 day. For example, a worker would give 3 days’ notice for 1 day’s leave.

An employer can refuse a leave request or cancel leave but they must give as much notice as the amount of leave requested, plus 1 day. For example, an employer would give 11 days’ notice if the worker asked for 10 days’ leave.

If the contract says something different about the notice a worker or employer should give, what’s in the contract will apply.

So did you agree to a change in terms of your contract?

Anyway, regardless, take the sick day. Your employer sounds shite. I'm just posting that to say, don't be a doormat. If they change something quite fundamental, query it. The same with workload.

However, OP - be aware of creating your own pressures. You don't need to step up where your colleague is not - you just have to apply a little (kind) pressure to your colleague who is supposed to be doing it.
Equally, most people will book annual leave to move house, because it is stressful. Make sure you book annual leave regularly to protect your mental health.

Hi op, I can empathise. Please take a day off

Also, book a Covid test. Slight temperature no matter for how long is a symptom. You’ll get results back in no time. Take care

You sound exhausted, take the week and maybe the other person in your team will then step up as well!

Take the day off and longer if you need to. I have to say lacking energy/ sleep issues can be caused by depression. How is your mood. Please seek help and/or speak to a loved one if your not feeling great mentally. Take care

Take more than a few days.

Definitely take the day off, perhaps book some leave too,

The shift to WFH is exhausting for people, they are working much longer hours, estimated at 11 - 14 hours more per week due to the lack of boundaries on home / work. People who have saved a commute are just working instead,

Also the way we work at home is much more intense. In an office you have natural breaks when you chat to colleagues, but at home it’s full on concentration all day. Given most people can only focus properly for approx. 6 hours a day max. pushing ourselves to be cognitively focused for 8+ hours a day is going to eventually catch up.

And then there’s the virtual meetings...again we are having more meetings than we did previously, and virtual versions take a different type of cognitive focus than face to face, relying on fewer senses more intensely.

All in all, wfh has some benefits that we all can see , but there are many hidden pitfalls when it comes to your own wellbeing.

You need the day off, don’t feel guilty, just be honest and do it. Most people who’ve been wfh have reached this at some point throughout and a reset is always recommended,

If you are sick and too ill to work, then take a sick day.

If not, I personally think you should use your holidays. I also think you should have used annual leave to enable you to move if it has been too much.

I don’t personally understand this trend of people saying “take a mental health day to rest” - that is the point of your annual leave allowance. It’s not just to go on holiday abroad and drink cocktails in a beach (or whatever you do).

If you were suffering from mental health issues and cannot work, fair enough to use a sick day. But otherwise you should use your annual leave for its intended purpose, which is to enable you to rest, take a break, get stuff done around the house etc...

I think people forget/underestimate/don’t care about how difficult it is for colleagues and a business to deal with the impact of all these random days off (at least holidays can be planned for). And yes, while I know a lot of feeling on mums net is that employers are evil, I often think that is said by those without a real understanding of how difficult it is to keep a business going (and thus securing jobs) in the current climate.

Definitely take a day off sick. Maybe call your doctor for an appointment. Hope you feel better soon.

Temperature and lethargy could be COVID. Please take the test.

I moved recently with two kids and two cats while also WFH. A week later I ended up off for 3 days because I had a banging headache and couldn't get out of bed - I slept pretty much continuously. You might have something viral, or you might just be exhausted - it doesn't matter. Take one or more days and give yourself some time to recharge.

@BluntAndToThePoint80 I see some of your points Blunt, but certainly where I work annual leave can't just be taken when needed at short notice (ie: when suddenly feeling exhausted and unable to cope). If other members of the team had every day of the next 2 months booked off between them then it's tough luck, no leave for me no matter how much I need it.

@DuzzyFuck.

I agree and know it’s often easier said than done, but if all holiday is booked then by taking off days can leave colleagues and the business even more in trouble.

People need to look after themselves and if holiday is hard to book in (and they know that), then people should look ahead and try to make sure they have odd days booked in rather than letting things build. I’ve know loads of people who save their holidays for trips abroad etc... and will not take other odd days off as they view it as a waste, but then end up taking sick days when it all gets too much and it just comes across like they couldn’t give a shit about anyone but themselves. I know this is anecdotal and not everyone, but I do come across this reluctance to take holidays quite a lot in people I’ve worked with and I find it an appalling attitude. People should take a bit of responsibility for themselves and their mental health. I’d also be wary of getting that reputation in this current environment.

However, businesses should ensure they work with staff so that everyone is treated fairly when booking holidays. I’m not sure they always do, but I’d say that makes it even more important to ensure you plan where you can go try to stop burnout before it starts.

Definitely have a chat with your manager then! Remember, you only get paid to do your job, not someone else’s too, you’re not being unreasonable by bringing this up.

@BluntAndToThePoint80 I don't disagree with you, especially when it comes to landing colleagues in it by being off, but also I don't think businesses help themselves a lot of the time.

I've heard many examples of businesses who will cheerfully run employees into the ground because profit > people. My own employer isn't exactly the best at nurturing staff & creating a nice work environment.

Meanwhile other companies have great reputations and amazing staff retention / low absence rates because they spend the time and money on ensuring staff fulfilment and happiness. It works both ways.

@hamstersarse great post, it certainly resonates with me.

I'm exactly the same: have been working from home since March, three months of that period my DD was in the house with me and its absolutely horrendous. I haven't had leave since March: technically I've had more than two weeks off but I had to work through all of it.

I generally have a pretty strong work ethic but I'm taking the view now that you have to put your health -- mental and physical - first. If that means bending the rules a little, so be it. At the end of the day if your employer pushes you beyond your breaking point they aren't going to be the one picking up the pieces. Do what you have to do.

'Also the way we work at home is much more intense. In an office you have natural breaks when you chat to colleagues, but at home it’s full on concentration all day. Given most people can only focus properly for approx. 6 hours a day max. pushing ourselves to be cognitively focused for 8+ hours a day is going to eventually catch up.'

Oh come off it it is perfectly possible to have 'natural breaks' at home, chat to colleagues on the phone or even have a breather outside. Don't overegg it.

That said you do sound unwell op. Have the day off, just don't call it burn out. Call it stress and anxiety and ring your GP if it persists.