How to Survive a Work at Home Mom Sick Day

Work at home moms don’t get sick days. I deal with seasonal allergies so this time of year, it can be a struggle to get everything done. When my allergies flair up, I don’t have the option to curl up in bed for the day (even though I may want to). I make sure I stay stocked up on the essentials thanks to a little help from SamsClub.com. I’ve learned some great tips for staying on track, even when I’m not feeling my best. Thank you so much toMember’s Mark Brand 2-ply Facial Tissue for sponsoring this post and letting us share these tips with you.

The first reaction people usually have when they find out that I work at home is, “Oh, I wish I could do that”.

Then they find out that working at home while raising 6 kids means there’s no sick days and very little down time and their tune changes a bit. I LOVE working from home, but on the days when my allergies really flare up, it’s a bit of a struggle to keep going when I just feel like curling up with a warm blanket.

I’ve been working from home for over 14 years now, and I’ve definitely learned some trick for surviving those work at home mom sick days.

The reality is, moms in general don’t get sick days. When we aren’t feeling our best, things still have to get done. We may move a bit slower, but we certainly keep moving.

First, there are a few things you need to do before you even get sick.

These things have been LIFE SAVERS for me when I’m not feeling well as a work at home mom.

Stock up on essentials. There’s nothing worse than having to run to the store when you aren’t feeling well. I try to keep my medicine cabinet well-stocked with anything I might need. One thing I’m always careful never to run out of is Member’s Mark Brand 2-ply Facial Tissue. I can manage to work through the day while sick if I can just have some on hand to help me survive. I’ve discovered that I love Member’s Mark Brand 2-ply Facial Tissue. They are great quality, so they feel great when you are sick or dealing with allergies and Sam’s Club makes it so easy to stock up. These have 2-ply gentle strength for multi-purpose tissue needs (I’m always a fan of having products on hand that have multiple uses). Each box is less than $1 per box too, so it is easy to stock up.

Have you shopped at Sam’s Club lately? Did you know that you can use their Scan & Go app to save time in the store, or shop online to make it really easy to stock up on your favorites.

How to Survive a Work at Home Mom Sick Day

Work in Shifts – There’s only so much you can do when you don’t feel well. If you have some flexibility in your work schedule, give yourself permission to work in shifts. I find that I work best in the mornings when I’m dealing with allergies (especially since I can’t sleep well when I am congested). Knowing that, I try to get the bulk of my work done in the morning. When I need a break, I take one. Sometimes, if I can fit it in, I’ll even take a nap. I find that cutting myself some slack usually gives me a bit more energy to work again for short blocks of time throughout the day.

Get comfortable – Since I work at home, I’m usually a bit of a stickler for being sure that I work in my office. I feel more productive if I work at my desk and have some degree of separation between work and family. When allergy season hits, that goes out the window. If I need to work on the couch for the day, that’s what I do. Sometimes just being comfortable can help me push through and keep working when I’m not feeling great.

Ask for help – I know this is hard. Asking for help when you are used to taking care of things on your own can be gut wrenchingly hard. Sometimes it is the best option though. If you are dealing with anything beyond allergies, you may want to avoid infection anyone else, but that doesn’t mean friends and family can’t help pick your healthy kids up from school or drop a pre-made dinner off on your doorstep. I’ve found that, more often than not, people are anxious to help but don’t know how. Be specific with what you need and you’ll likely have people willing to step up. I’ve found, as a last resort, a Facebook plea can be a good way to go (no one is put on the spot and everyone in your circle knows what you need).

Give up on the Non-Essentials – One of the many perks of being a work at home mom is that you have a bit of flexibility. This may mean giving yourself permission to work in your pajamas for the day. When you aren’t feeling well, it’s best to save your energy for the things that absolutely have to be done — and getting dressed and putting on makeup can definitely be tossed aside for the day.

Change up your Hours – If you have the option to be flexible with your hours, try shifting some of your work to Saturday for one week. If this isn’t an option, work your way through all the busy work on your schedule and save the heavier hitting projects for a day when you are feeling better. You’ll still work through some of the things on your to-do list, but you won’t be tackling more than you can handle.

Find someone to cuddle you (even if that someone has 4 legs) – Sometimes you just need someone to snuggle up with you and make you feel better. If you aren’t contagious, small humans work nicely. If you are, the family pet will work just fine too. Our dog always seems to know when I’m not feeling my best. Of course, he usually thinks that means I should give him extra attention.

You can get creative (and you often have to) as a work at home mom, but no matter which way you cut it, sick days stink. Keep plugging along and remember that you’ll probably feel better tomorrow.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Member’s Mark Brand 2-ply Facial Tissue.