Sick Leave: Why You Should Never Again Apologize for Being Ill
A small manifesto for anyone who leaves the emergency room with several weeks’ sick leave… and a heavy dose of guilt.
Do you feel awkward, even guilty, every time you need to take time off for health reasons? Do you think you’re the only one grappling with this fragile moment? You’re not. Most executives dealing with long-term illness don’t even tell their colleagues about their sick leave. But here’s the thing: pressing pause to let your body heal might be the smartest move for your professional future. Let’s explore why.
When Illness Hits Hard
It wasn’t a cold. It wasn’t “just fatigue.” It was something serious enough to demand long-term sick leave.
Those odd, persistent symptoms took you from your GP to a specialist, then to a waiting room that smelled of disinfected fear. And when the word “rest” finally came out of your doctor’s mouth, you didn’t feel relief.
You felt panic. Shame. Guilt. You thought you were alone in this? You’re not. 14% of managers faced with long-term illness haven’t told a single person at work. That silence isn’t noble — it’s heavy. It’s fuelled by the fear of disturbing others, of becoming replaceable, of losing your place.
Yes, we live in a society with labor rights. But claiming them? That’s a whole other story.
Working While Sick: The Absurd Reflex
Why do we dread telling our manager more than we dread the MRI? Why, when our bodies are screaming “STOP,” do we still prioritize a project deadline?
In corporate culture, does taking sick leave mean you’ve disappeared?
Post-Covid, sick leave is supposedly more accepted.
We’ve normalized feverish Zoom calls and Slack messages sent from bed.
But step outside the flu-and-fever zone — long-term illness, burnout, chronic conditions — and the old guilt kicks in fast: “Am I letting everyone down?”
The Inner Dialogue of Guilt
And then comes the self-talk spiral:
- You need to stop. You’ve got medical exams. You can’t be at the office between blood draws.
- Yeah, but… my team? The timing? The project? I’ve got a performance review next month…
Even if your manager is kind. Even if your team is great. Your absence — prolonged, undefined — becomes a silent irritant.
You feel that you’re complicating things. That you’re no longer a stable factor. And the whispers start:
“We’re not sure she’ll bounce back.”
“Maybe it’s time to redistribute her responsibilities…”
Translation: you’ve become a risk. A variable to be managed.
The Vanishing Act: Slipping Off the Radar
You notice it in the smallest things: The once-friendly colleague now replies with a curt “OK.”
The project you spearheaded has “moved ahead — but don’t worry, you’ll catch up.”
No one’s trying to exclude you. It’s just that the workplace moves at a pace your illness doesn’t respect.
While the world speeds on, you slow down.
You enter a parallel universe: blood test results, midday appointments, silent waiting rooms. And a quiet but brutal verdict:
“You’re going to have to slow down. Seriously.”
You open your eyes.
When “Performance” Becomes Meaningless
All those buzzwords from corporate seminars — performance, excellence, alignment — start sounding a bit ridiculous.
You’re not trying to outperform anymore. You’re just trying to stay upright. To live something resembling a normal life. Your KPI? Being able to imagine a future beyond next week. Walking 100 meters without needing to sit down.
And sometimes, it’s not even you. It’s your child. Your parent. Your partner.
Life shakes everything up.
You’re no longer managing a schedule — you’re counting hours of sleep.
You’re not taking on a new mission — your mission is to be there.
And Still… You Keep Apologizing
Sorry for the late reply, I was in the ER.
Sorry I’m behind, I had a hospital appointment.
Stop. Just stop.
Is a More Humane Work Culture Possible?
There is nothing to apologize for. Not for being sick. Not for taking time. Not for being human.
If there’s one thing the modern workplace urgently needs to understand, it’s this:
An employee is not a 24-hour resource.
They are a person. With a body. A family. A life. With strengths and weaknesses.
And sometimes, life spills over the edges. Brutally. Unavoidably.
What if taking time off for sick leave was actually an act of clarity?
So no, you don’t owe anyone an apology for being sick.
Not for stepping back. Not for the time you need. Not even for being inconvenient.
You don’t have to downplay it to soothe other people’s discomfort.
Companies have a role to play. While some workplaces still fall short, others are catching on.
A calmer return, a body that’s had time to heal — that does more for performance than any project finished in pain. Coming back with a sharper, healthier inner compass? That’s the kind of performance worth chasing.
