5 ways to make working with chronic illness more manageable
Managing a career and chronic illness
The difficult thing about chronic pain is its unpredictable nature. It varies vastly from person to person, day to day, week to week. Some chronically ill people can barely get out of bed, others can go to the gym four times a week. This can make it incredibly difficult to hold down a career.
I consider myself lucky that I can continue to work part-time, despite my chronic illnesses and mental health issues. That doesn't mean I don't struggle.
As endometriosis is a fluctuating condition, some days come out of the blue where the pain is intense. There are days when I could weep that the lift at work is out of order and I have to find the energy to climb four flights of stairs and then do a full day's work. There are also many days when I can get through the day at work just fine but crash into a mess of pain and fatigue the moment the kids are in bed.
Over the years since I became ill, I've developed some ways of making working with chronic illness a little easier and wanted to share that in the hope it helps someone else.
1. Share your condition with your manager or HR department
In my experience, fake it 'til you make it just doesn't work when it comes to working with chronic illness. Telling your manager might seem scary, but I honestly believe it is worse to brush it under the carpet.
I'm very lucky that I have an understanding manager, who is willing to be flexible and make reasonable adjustments. If you don't feel confident that your manager will be the same, then it is good to come prepared.
If you are suffering from a long-term health condition that affects your everyday life, it is worth looking at the Equality Act 2010 and considering whether you would be covered by this legislation in the workplace. In the case of endometriosis, Endometriosis UK has some excellent resources on managing the condition in the workplace.
2. Request the option to work from home when you need to
Working from home can be beneficial in many ways when you are managing a chronic illness. Removing the need to commute to work can help you preserve precious energy. Let's face it, pretending not to be in huge amounts of pain on a packed train is pretty exhausting.
Working from home means I can also wear my pyjama bottoms if I'm bloated and riddled with pelvic pain. I can cuddle my electric heat pad to my heart's content. Need I go on?
Since the COVID 19 pandemic struck, homeworking has become the norm for many employers and their employees. I hope this is the turning point in workplaces becoming more flexible. I have seen and heard so much from the chronic illness community on this subject. We've been asking for this option for years, but it took a deadly pandemic to bring it to fruition.
3. Keep a hot water bottle in your desk drawer
Simple, but effective. On bad pain days, I can often be seen sitting at my computer hugging my hot water bottle. It helps, and there is no shame in that.
4. Carry more medication than you expect to need
I have a little make-up bag with a selection of pain relief in - even the strong stuff that I try not to take at work. You never know when a bad flare is going to strike.
5. Always come packing snacks
Whether they're for nausea, an energy boost, or simple comfort - snacks are always a good idea. I keep some in my bag and some in my desk drawer.
I am an eternal grazer. It's the fatigue, I promise. Feeling hungry is a huge anxiety trigger for me, because I know if my blood sugar drops too low I start to feel wobbly. So yes, nosy colleague, I'm eating AGAIN. No, you can't have a bite.
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