🌻 Seasoned SoulZ Health & Wellness Reflection

Learning to Call Off: Honoring Rest and Health at Work 🌻

There was a time when I would have pushed myself to go to work no matter how sick I felt. That’s the way I was raised—your responsibilities came first, and you only called off if you were practically on your deathbed.

But today, I see things differently. Maybe it’s wisdom from age, maybe it’s what I’ve picked up from the younger generation. They’ve taught me that it’s okay to call off, and that lesson has changed me.

This week, I woke up with a cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, and a plugged ear. There was no way I could have worked eight hours wearing a mask, talking with patients at the desk or over the phone. I wouldn’t have been able to give them the focus, patience, or kindness they deserve.

And here’s the truth: pushing through when sick doesn’t just harm me—it risks others, too. Patients and coworkers don’t need to be exposed to my illness.

Calling off is not weakness. It’s responsibility. It’s respect for my body, my healing, and the people I serve.

So, I’m rewriting the rulebook I grew up with. Rest is part of the work. Healing is strength. And sometimes the wisest choice we can make—for ourselves and for others—is simply to stay home. 🌻