Having to take a break from work isn’t ideal. However, sometimes you don’t have a choice. If you suffer an injury, either at work or elsewhere, you might not be able to do your job adequately. If you need to take some time to recover, it can be very worrying to not be at work, earning money. Even if you work from home, you could have an illness or injury that means you’re not well enough to do your usual work. You might have to cut down your workload or even stop working altogether for a while. Try these tips to get through it.
Assess Your Abilities
The first thing you can do is consider how much you’re capable of doing. Some illnesses or injuries might mean that you have to stop working because you don’t have the mental or physical capacity to work. Concentrating on getting better is often better for you, instead of trying to do some work. However, sometimes you might be capable of doing a few hours of work a day. Some people might even be able to continue their full workload, perhaps with a few adjustments. Speak to your doctor about how much you can do so you don’t overdo it.
Communicating with Your Clients
If you need to take a break or cut down on some of your work, you might have to let your clients know. Perhaps you won’t be able to make a deadline, or you won’t be able to communicate with them as often as you usually do. It can be frightening getting in touch with your clients, especially if you’re scared of losing work. However, some people can be very understanding and might offer you an extension on a deadline or be prepared to wait for you to get back to work. If you can, try to call them, or at least send a polite email letting them know what’s happening.
Supporting Yourself Financially
Money can be a worry when you’re unable to work, especially if you’re self-employed. You don’t have access to some of the help you might get from an employer. If you’re well prepared, you might have some savings or even an insurance policy that will help you out if you can’t work. If you’ve been injured, it might be useful to visit a site like www.hcalawyers.com.au/ and research if it’s possible to get compensation. If you were hurt because of someone’s negligence, you might be able to claim money to help you pay for medical costs or loss of income.
Getting Back to Work
Starting to work again could take a few days, or you might be out of work for weeks or months. Getting back to work when you work at home can often be easier because you can control your environment more. When you’re ready to start working again, make sure you have a setup that makes you comfortable and that you’re not doing too much at once.
Being unable to work is very disruptive and can be worse if you’re self-employed. Preparing for it before it happens is a good idea.
