How do you cope at work after being up with a sick child all night?

[DecemberRose19]

I am exhausted. Luckily I work from home but I'm just sat staring at my screen, haven't been able to do even an hours worth of work all day. It's quite a demanding job and losing today means I'm going to be really, really behind.

I don't seem to be able to 'get on with it' when I'm tired, I'm anxious, feel sick and my brain just doesn't work.

I can't take my own sick day as I've already hit the trigger from two bouts of sickness over the last year. My job also doesn't offer family leave days, and I can't afford to take it unpaid or as AL as I need it for school holidays.

Both is unsympathetic, doesn't have kids and never seems like she understands. She said I could make the time up in the evening but who has the time or capacity to do that with kids, especially sick ones?

Sorry for the rant, i just feel so overwhelmed

Solidarity. Not much advice as I'm rubbish too in this situation. Can you get out for a short walk?

Sadly you do just have to pull yourself together and get on with it. It’s hard but it’s part of being an adult!
I suffer from insomnia. I can frequently have night with minimal or even no sleep. Sometimes several nights in a row. My life can’t stop. I still have kids to sort out and a job to get to. I can’t work from home or take a day off cos I’m tired.
Have a shower, have some caffeine and sugar and get started on something. Make sure you get an early night tonight.

Lots of caffeine. I work in a job where you can't make up time, you go in and hit the ground running if you've had a good nights sleep or none.

Get some caffeine down you and give it another go reminding yourself how behind you'll be if you don't focus. The other alternative is doing the work after DC are in bed.

Coffee and white-knuckling it. Not a great answer, but the only one I have.

Copious amounts of coffee and just muddling through. I’m a chronic insomniac so, as a previous poster mentioned, I can have little to zero sleep for a few days. Usually by day 3 of no sleep whatsoever I’m starting to really struggle but I get through it.

Coffee chocolate. If possible flip to less mentally demanding tasks when I am flagging. It helps me pick up the energy later in the day for the more intense stuff later. Sitting and struggling to make progress with the intense stuff just makes me miserable so I need an easy win early in the day.
This week my daughter cried all night in her sleep unless I held her Sunday to Monday and Monday to Tuesday woke up every 40 minutes from 11.30 until 2 when I brought her into bed. She slept better but kicked me off my pillow so I wasn't that comfortable but it was better than her floor at least! Tuesday I was in the office so had to be out before 7.30. if I have had a bad night and I'm working from home I try to get a bit of extra sleep doing breakfast at home and dropping her off at 9 instead of 8.30. or I do drop her off a normal time and have a quiet coffee before starting work rather than drinking it whilst dealing with emails. Starting work at 9.15 instead of 8.55 it's just enough to get a better start whilst not taking a big dent out of my day

OP I feel the same as you, as I am useless when tired. I feel the plates just about spin when we are all well and happy at home but if one of us - toddler DS in particular - gets ill then they all come crashing to the floor in a spectacular fashion. No advice really except caffeine and to do the best you can, this too shall pass - I am sending a handhold, solidarity and an unmumsnetty hug.

That’s when the disgusting Starbucks drinks full of sugar come in handy!! On nights when I get maybe 5 hours sleep I’ll order a caramel Frappuccino with 3 shots. The sugar and caffeine gives me a good kick. I sympathise OP. It’s so so tough! Extra early night for everyone tonight!

Caffeine and eat really nice healthy food, water and fresh air. Work wise just get done what you absolutely need to. Anything that can wait you leave for another time. Get that done and then put your feet up.

Do five breath cycles before you start, to calm your body down.

https://drchatterjee.com/the-3-4-5-breath/

I really do sympathise and sometimes it is physically impossible to work with a sick child. I remember when DD2 was little, about 2 years old, and physically clinging to me all day when she was ill. Boss at the time said "Why didn't you work from home?" and was totally unsympathetic.

Metric kilofuck of sugar and caffeine and a few paracetamol. Every time you start to crash, chug another lucozade

Sugar and caffeine basically... Non stop tea... I know om not being v effective though so will just do some catch up time either tomorrow/weekend..
Am doing simple tasks as much as possible

You just get on with it. I expect everyone has days when they have to work after being awake all night.

Thanks for the advice everyone (mostly everyone - I do 'get on with it' but sometimes it's really bloody hard on next to no sleep). Luckily we had a much better night and I feel a lot more with it today.
I think it's the anxiety and panic that comes with it that gets to me. Being exhausted is actually torture (and to think I'm planning for another baby 🤣🤣)

I'm a teacher so have to get on with it. I once burnt myself on a soldering iron during a demonstration I was giving as I just so bloody tired. Not good!

If it's been really terrible I would have a short power nap and then get on with it.

I think if you’re busy it’s easier, you just have to get on with it. I have 3 job interviews today after being up a few times in the night with poorly toddler and a sickness bug myself through the night before.

If it was a normal work day I’d be shattered, but because I’ve got non-negotiable stuff to do I seem to find extra reserves.

I try and have a coffee and a quiet half hour at my desk first thing to take deep breaths and get my shit together. Then another one after lunch when I'm starting to flag, to reassess what really needs to get done in the afternoon. Really hard though!

Have a nap or just don't get much done today and do whatever you can manage at home then catch up on the work that needs concentration tomorrow or at weekend if you need to.
If you have a partner make them help!