If so, you\u2019re not alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, people feel pressure to keep going despite their physical or mental illness. They are afraid of losing a step, which, they fear, would lead to a heavier workload and losing their team\u2019s favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the widespread popularity of hybrid and remote work, calling in sick has become even more uncomfortable, considering we might still be capable of working from home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, working while not feeling well \u2014 also known as presenteeism<\/em> \u2014 usually makes things worse due to reduced productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, calling in sick is perfectly okay when you\u2019re not feeling physically or mentally well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this article, you\u2019ll find out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, let\u2019s begin!<\/p>\n\n\n When you consider taking sick leave, bear in mind the following factors that can influence your decision and further steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Improve collaboration and cut down on emails by moving your team communication to Pumble.<\/p>\n\n First, it\u2019s essential to recognize that there are two types of sick leave:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Substantial sick leave packages <\/strong>are provided in many European countries such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to the USA, there is a requirement for unpaid sick leave for the private sector at the federal level<\/strong>. However, the following states have mandatory paid sick leave<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The above states allow private sector employees to take paid time off for medical care for themselves or their family members. In other states, paid leave is a voluntary benefit provided by employers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With all this in mind, simply sending an \u201cI am sick<\/em>\u201d message isn\u2019t enough. It\u2019s important to consider your company\u2019s sick leave policies and check whether paid sick leave plans are available and how many days of paid sick leave your company provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It happens \u2014 some days, you\u2019re just not feeling well. Sick leave is one of the possible solutions, but are you just tired or actually under the weather? It\u2019s vital to notice the warning signs that will help you to decide whether to call in sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the most common signs<\/a> you should call in sick are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Always listen to your inner voice and be honest with yourself. Using your sick days is better than overexerting yourself due to illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though some people may think that taking time off negatively impacts job performance, returning to work too soon can prolong recovery and decrease productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to research on presenteeism pressure<\/a>, working while sick doesn\u2019t just harm job performance. It also leads to mistreatment of colleagues and bad behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clearly, presenteeism does more harm than good. Here\u2019s how HBR puts it in Presenteeism: At Work\u2014But Out of It<\/em><\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResearchers have found that less time is lost from people staying home than from them showing up but not performing at full capacity<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Even though people tend to neglect their well-being, mental health issues should be treated just just as seriously as physical illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the World Health Organization (WHO), common signs of burnout are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most importantly, ignoring burnout symptoms leads to serious consequences such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, State of Mental Health in America<\/em> reports<\/a> provide compelling evidence that supports the importance of prioritizing mental health. Considering that nearly 60 million Americans combated mental illness in 2024, we definitely shouldn\u2019t take our mental health for granted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Signs that indicate you need to stay home and take a mental health day are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n If we recognize the first symptoms of job burnout, we can prevent it from worsening and protect our careers and well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We all need to rest and reset sometimes \u2014 especially if we\u2019re experiencing some health issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though you might hesitate to ask for a mental health day, remember that you\u2019ll be doing yourself (and your company) a favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Pumble Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you think burnout\u2019s setting in, it\u2019s time to focus on your well-being. The below resource outlines several ways you can recover from burnout:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you work in a remote-friendly company and don\u2019t want to fall behind on your tasks, working from home can be a good option when you have a mild illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This arrangement ensures you won\u2019t spread the virus and spares you from commuting \u2013 without calling in sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, taking sick leave is more reasonable if you notice that your illness is preventing you from working effectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Pumble Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To better understand different types of remote work, take a look at our guide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep your remote team connected & productive with Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n So, you considered all the factors and determined you should take sick days. Here\u2019s how you can make calling in sick less complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a remote or hybrid work environment<\/a>, communication should be clear and timely. So, if you feel sick, your manager needs to be the first to know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If possible, let them know a day in advance or early in the morning when you notice the symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep your sick leave message straightforward \u2014 state that you\u2019re unwell, but don\u2019t overshare details about your medical history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asking for time off work, choose your boss\u2019 preferred communication channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, team communication apps like Pumble<\/a> by CAKE.com<\/a> make it easy to keep everyone up to speed, even if you can\u2019t show up to work. Reach out to your manager privately with a direct message<\/a> explaining the situation. A simple sick day message will let your manager know how they should adjust your workload until you recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are our examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHi [Name],<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not feeling well due to a fever, so I will not be coming to the office today. I\u2019ll keep you posted as I recover, but let me know who will be covering my shift so that I can address anything urgent.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Pumble is a great email alternative<\/a> that keeps communication efficient \u2014 with short messages and effective emojis, you can inform your boss you\u2019re not feeling well, and your colleagues can plan future steps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Keep your communication efficient and streamlined with Pumble, the all-in-one collaboration app.<\/p>\n\n Now that you know how to inform your manager about sick leave, it\u2019s time to see how to tell your colleagues you\u2019ll be absent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you do a lot of client-facing work, your team can help handle some of the responsibilities. A quick message in your team channel<\/a> will make sure no one is in the dark about your sick leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A few polite and concise lines like this will do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHi guys! A heads-up that I\u2019ve gone on sick leave, so I\u2019ll be away for a few days. A few of you have already volunteered to cover my shift, so thank you for the support! I\u2019ll see you all when I return to work. Take care!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When you feel ill and need to step back from work, the status update feature<\/a> is helpful, too. If you work in a small team or handle your tasks independently, you can use your status update to indicate you\u2019re offline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This will let everyone know you\u2019re unavailable and prevent unnecessary messages. You can also pause notifications<\/a> to eliminate noisy interruptions while recovering. <\/p>\n\n\n Unless you\u2019re taking a mental health day, most companies require a doctor\u2019s note or evidence of a doctor\u2019s appointment as proof of sickness. So, review your company\u2019s sick leave policy to double-check the requirements. Most employers usually won\u2019t demand a doctor\u2019s note if you\u2019re off work for a week or less. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, you might have to provide a written notice confirmation in the form of self-certification. If your company manages workplace communication<\/a> through tools like Pumble, you can easily share any necessary files or documents<\/a> from virtually any device. <\/p>\n\n\n Communicate, share, & collaborate effortlessly in Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Writing a sick leave message to your boss seems nerve-wracking, but it doesn’t have to be. Just follow these steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve decided to send a sick leave email to let your boss know you\u2019re not feeling well, write a short and direct subject line<\/strong> that reveals the purpose of the email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simple \u201cSick day\u201d,<\/em> \u201cSick leave\u201d<\/em> or \u201cSick day – your name\u201d<\/em> would be a good starting point and an attention catcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When informing your boss about your sick leave, keep things to the point without over-explaining your illness and symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, briefly explain why you\u2019re taking sick leave (e.g., contagious illness such as flu and cold, stomach flu, or family issues) and state your approximation of the period you\u2019ll be away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from the reason for your absence and the estimated number of days you\u2019ll be absent, don\u2019t forget to mention your availability during your sick leave. If the symptoms aren\u2019t severe, try to debrief your boss about whether you\u2019ll be able to check emails and messages or make voice calls<\/a> if needed. <\/p>\n\n\n Depending on your workload, your manager should also be aware of any pending tasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, you may delegate your tasks to other team members or discuss extending the deadlines with your manager.<\/p>\n\n\n Looking after your mental health and communicating with your manager instead of forcibly pushing through is crucial for your well-being as well as your productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As soon as you recognize burnout symptoms, it\u2019s a good time to ask your boss for a mental health day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order to communicate effectively<\/a>, make sure to be direct, but don\u2019t go into detail. Most importantly, briefly explain how a mental health day would improve your performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply put, you don\u2019t want to sound like you\u2019re complaining, but taking care of yourself and your productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, you can say something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI really care about my job performance, but I\u2019m not feeling well today. Taking a day off to relax and recharge would mean a lot to me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n or<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve felt overwhelmed lately, so I would like to ask whether you mind if I take a mental health day. I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll help me be more productive and efficient in the future.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Pumble Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To maintain a healthy work-life balance that improves your well-being, make sure to check out our guide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve understood how to say that you\u2019re not feeling well professionally, it’s time to take a look at some examples of sick day emails and messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your boss prefers using email for work, then you can consider the following email examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHi Kinsey,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m emailing you to inform you that I\u2019m feeling sick today, so I\u2019ll take one of my paid sick leave days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have questions or need any information, I\u2019ll be available on Pumble intermittently, so you can message or call me. I will also let Karen and Patrick know about my absence. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I appreciate your understanding,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n John\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cHi Rob, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, I\u2019ve had a fever since yesterday, so I\u2019m taking a medical leave starting today through Monday next week. Attached is a doctor\u2019s note advising me to take a sick leave. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, I will let my team know that I won\u2019t be able to attend our weekly meeting tomorrow.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ll check my email intermittently, so please email me if you have any questions, and I\u2019ll respond as soon as possible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I was supposed to finish my project by Tuesday next week. However, due to my absence, I\u2019ll need two more days. How does it sound to you?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you for understanding. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n All the best, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n John\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Using a business messaging app<\/a> is a more convenient way to inform your boss and colleagues that you\u2019re not feeling well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHello Kinsey,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I woke up with a bad fever, so I will be on sick leave today, as I am not feeling well.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ll visit my doctor today and let you know if I have to extend my sick leave.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have any questions, message me here in Pumble, so I\u2019ll get back to you as soon as I see a notification.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hope to feel better tomorrow!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n You don’t need to hesitate, since calling in sick only takes a few clicks, as we can see on the screenshot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your message should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood morning, Emma!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m messaging you to let you know that I\u2019m not feeling well today, so I need to take a sick day to rest and recover. I hope I\u2019ll get back to work tomorrow. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I am supposed to join a meeting with Maria and Susan later today, but I\u2019ll ask them if we can reschedule it. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the case of any urgent work, you can send me a message on Pumble.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hope to see you tomorrow!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n You might be unsure how many sick days you\u2019ll need. The screenshot below shows a good message example you should consider in this situation. It\u2019s professional, concise, and covers key information. <\/p>\n\n\n A communication app for teams of all kinds. Discuss, share, and collaborate.<\/p>\n\n It\u2019s important to ask for sick leave as soon as possible so that the team can regroup and organize tasks in your absence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, with Pumble, it\u2019s easier than ever to stay connected<\/a> and productive \u2014 even if you need to step away from work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the app\u2019s features<\/a>, you can inform your team lead or employees of your sick leave quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can send:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/How-to-Say-Youre-Not-Feeling-Well-cover.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhat to consider when deciding whether to call in sick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nFactor #1: Sick leave policies of the company<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Factor #2: Illness symptoms <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Factor #3: Whether you need a mental health day <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Factor #4: Whether remote work is an option <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to call out of work sick?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tip #1: Contact your boss as soon as possible <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip #2: Choose an appropriate communication method<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"How](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/How-to-inform-your-manager-that-you-are-sick-in-Pumble-a-team-communication-app0D0A0D0A.png\")
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-2@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nTip #3: Let your colleagues know<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"How](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/How-to-say-I-am-sick-professionally-in-a-team-channel-in-Pumble-a-business-messaging-app0D0A0D0A.png\")
![\"Call](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Call-in-sick-and-customize-your-status-in-Pumble-to-keep-the-team-informed-of-your-availability-.png\")
Tip #4: Follow up with necessary documentation <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/An-example-of-a-sick-leave-message-with-a-doctors-note-attached-on-Pumble0D0A0D0A.png\")
How to say that you\u2019re not feeling well professionally in an email or a message?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step #1: Write a straightforward subject <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step #2: Briefly state the reason for the absence and the number of days you\u2019ll be absent from work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step #3: Tell your boss whether you\u2019ll be available to check emails\/make urgent calls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Voice](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Voice-and-video-calls-in-Pumble0D0A0D0A.png\")
Step #4: Have a plan for the next steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Send](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Send-a-sick-leave-message-and-plan-for-the-future-in-Pumble-a-team-collaboration-app0D0A0D0A0D0A.png\")
How to ask for a mental health day professionally?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sick day email and message examples <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sick day email examples <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Email example 1: Taking a sick day<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Email example 2: Taking a week off from work<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Sick day message examples <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Message example 1:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Message example 2:<\/h4>\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/A-quick-and-respectful-way-to-call-in-sick-over-Pumble-a-team-messaging-app0D0A0D0A0D0A.png\")
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Message example 3:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Message example 4:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/An-example-of-a-sick-day-message-in-Pumble-a-business-messaging-app-1.png\")
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nGo over sick leave requests & everything else with Pumble by CAKE.com <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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