Building a successful career can be a rewarding venture. For someone with a chronic illness, it might seem like an impossible dream. Between the doctor’s visits and ongoing pain, it might be difficult to fathom even holding a steady job.
A chronic illness doesn’t have to equal career death. It might mean change, a temporary slow-down, or even a permanent slow-down, but not necessarily. In fact, there are five great reasons why it’s a good idea to maintain a “chronic career.”
5 Reasons to Maintain a Chronic Career
1. Health insurance and steady income
Let’s face it, most of us show up to our jobs every day because we get paid to work. A steady paycheck and health insurance are likely at the top of your list of reasons for staying with your job. This can be especially important if you have a chronic illness. Medical bills are expensive and it sure helps to have a good health insurance plan, especially one that your company helps pay for. Health insurance outside of a business is arguably worse in comparison and usually comes with steeper premiums and/or reduced benefits.
2. Access to a supportive work community
Dealing with a chronic illness can be overwhelming, and depending on how you handle it, you may experience a range of emotions. Therefore, having someone to talk to can be incredibly helpful and make you feel less alone with your illness. Even if you don’t talk to your colleagues about your chronic illness, working with others is still much better for your mental and emotional health.
3. Personal satisfaction and reward
Everyone wants to feel satisfied and have a reason to get out of bed every day. Developing a successful career can be its own reward. It can be the perfect self-esteem and confidence boost. The best of jobs provide a meaningful purpose and sense of fulfillment.
4. It’s a good distraction
Chronic illnesses are tough and sometimes it’s nice to have a healthy distraction. I am one of the first to admit that getting through even an average workday can be tough with chronic pain. Take a sick day if it’s unbearable. Most of us have had at least one of those, if not a number of them.
If you are well enough to avoid taking a sick day, working can provide something else to focus on besides feeling unwell. Those of us that live with chronic illnesses have to find a way to continue living. Life doesn’t take a break because you’re sick (if only). Tough, right? There’s an old ‘80s song by Billy Ocean that I like to remember on a bad day- “when the going gets tough, the tough get going,” and the tough get tougher. You can check out the video here.
A word of caution- I am not suggesting you sacrifice your well-being to get through the workday. You should only work if you are physically able to do so (and receive doctor’s approval, if needed). Your first priority should always be your health!
5. You can serve your community
Even if you believe your job adds minimal value, there’s a good chance that you are more valuable than you believe. At the very least (and even in the worst case), you support someone that adds value to your company and yes, society too. If your employer is still paying your salary then your work must mean something to someone.
If you do decide to maintain a chronic career, make sure you take these four critical steps to maintain your health and productivity at work.
4 Critical Steps to Maintain Health & Work Productivity
1. Inform your employer about your chronic illness
Talking to someone about a chronic illness can be difficult. Even if you aren’t comfortable broaching the topic with coworkers, it is a good idea to inform your employer or HR as appropriate. This gives your employer a much better understanding of the additional challenges you may face and might help avoid increased scrutiny in case you need to take extra sick time.
2. Educate yourself about your legal rights
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for disabled employees. For more information, including the numerous illnesses covered by the ADA act, click here. Employers are required by law to consider reasonable requests, and while this could be interpreted a number of ways, it is important to educate yourself about your rights. You won’t know until you ask!
3. Pay attention to your needs and set realistic expectations
For the most productive individuals, it can be hard to slow down. With a chronic illness, it is that much more necessary. Understand your limitations and set realistic expectations for yourself. Ask for your doctor’s input if you need clarity on what those limitations are and ask a friend to hold you accountable. Most importantly, your health should be your number one priority. You aren’t doing anyone a favor if you push yourself beyond your limits. Not only are you more likely to get hurt, but you won’t be able to help anyone else either.
4. Take breaks as needed and don’t be afraid to say “no”
This point ties into all of the ones above. If your employer asks you to do something beyond your limits, speak up! Regardless of whether it’s working extra hours, doing a task beyond your means, or anything- you should not feel obligated to do anything if it pushes those limitations. It is also important to recognize when you need a break. If working long hours is taking its toll, talk to your employer and see if you can come to an agreement about more frequent breaks or alternate hours. If your company is reputable and is aware of your situation then they should be willing to make reasonable accommodations.
Important Reminders
Chronic illnesses come with extra challenges, but it is possible to build a chronic career. A successful career can provide rewards worth fighting for, including a steady income, good health insurance and a supportive work community. Follow the four steps to maintain your health and productivity at work and always remember to take care of your health first!
Follow Angela’s Story to learn how she built a successful chronic career. Better yet, subscribe to the blog to make sure you never miss an update!