My recipe on how to enjoy being sick
Yes, dear, you got that right. In this article, I will share with you how I taught myself to enjoy being sick.
You might wonder whether the words “enjoy” and “being sick” can even be used in the same sentence.
Well, just keep an open mind and hopefully, by the end of this article, you will learn some tips and tricks on how to make the best out of your next sick day.
Please note that this article is written from the perspective of a woman without kids.
I have no clue how the mothers and fathers out there manage to rest while being sick with the kids at home. You have my deep respect and if any of you (parents) is reading this article, please share your secret with us!
Having said this, here it comes!
My recipe on how to make the best out of a sick day
1. Surrender to the situation
The fact that you are reading this article means that you are either unwell right now or you hate being sick and you want to be better prepared for when it happens.
Am I right?
Let’s admit it, being sick sucks. You feel weak, you are in pain and you wish you were never born.
Now think back and reflect on the days before you ended up getting sick.
Most probably your body has been screaming and shouting at you to slow down for the last couple of days or weeks.
And because you were not listening, now it simply decided to STOP functioning.
When your body crashes and you are not able to fake being healthy anymore, it’s finally time to clear up your agenda and surrender to the situation.
Inform everyone who is expecting anything from you today that you are unwell. Then put on your most comfortable clothes or pajamas and allow yourself the time to heal and recharge.
Staying at home on a weekday is a rare occurrence for many of us. Instead of wasting your scarce energy to keep pretending that you are ok or feeling sorry for yourself, why not make the best out of the situation?
In the end, the usual cold or a flue do not last longer than a few days. Your whole life is still ahead of you.
Relax and make the best out of this opportunity to enjoy the silence and serenity of your home!
2. Avoid getting bored
We often get bored while being sick at home because we end up doing the same thing for way too long.
That’s why it’s important to be prepared and to have a plan before you actually get sick.
Make a list of the things you rarely have time for, so that you can get some inspiration when you happen to stay home for longer than usual.
Then switch between the various activities on your list, depending on your condition.
Let me give you a few suggestions.
If you feel so bad that you are stuck in your bed you are obviously limited to activities like reading the book that has been waiting for your attention for a while, watching the type of movies that you usually wouldn’t watch with your partner and, of course, sleeping.
When your back starts hurting from spending too much time in bed it’s time to get up. Consider activities like:
- cooking yourself a healthy meal;
- doing some gentle physical exercises (check out Youtube for inspiration);
- playing online games;
- cleaning the house (only when you are really out of creativity);
- going out for a walk.
Should you get the feeling of being useless or depressed, because you have “wasted” a whole day of your precious life, think of something that you can learn:
- watch a documentary or an inspiring TED(x) video;
- reach out to a biography or personal development book;
- put on an informative TV channel;
- sign up for an online course in your field of expertise;
- … or whatever else has been on your mind for a while.
By doing something pleasant or useful you will certainly feel a little bit better, at least for a while.
Just make sure you switch between activities before you get exhausted or bored!
3. Reach out to your family and friends
Spending more time at home than usual provides an opportunity to catch-up with the people who are important to us but who are not necessarily part of our weekly routine.
Remember that you can always count on your family and friends if you start feeling lonely.
When was the last time you called your parents or grandparents?
How about your best friend who lives in another country?
We are quite used to texting nowadays but how about hearing each other’s voices for a change. Just pick up the phone and dial.
4. See your glass as half full
When we are sick we are faced with the limitations of our bodies that we rarely feel on a normal day.
You will certainly end up miserable if you go down the road to compare yourself with all your healthy friends who are now enjoying the great weather and all the activities that you had planned together.
Instead, you can better appreciate the fact that you are one of those healthy people most of the time and realize how lucky you are that you don’t have some severe disease or disability.
If you are so impatient and miserable for staying at home for a day or two, imagine how tough it might be for the people who actually don’t have much of a choice.
We sometimes tend to make our problems and challenges seem bigger and more complex than they actually are.
When we remove the microscope through which we are inspecting our lives, we are better able to put things into perspective and get clarity on the situation.
As you know the glass can be half empty or half full, depending on your mindset.
Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, why not appreciate everything you have and can do when you are not sick.
Looking forward to your next sick day?
While writing this article I got curious about what other people have written on this topic.
Did you know that there are people who not only enjoy being sick but are also addicted to it?
This condition is called Factitious disorder, also referred to as Munchausen syndrome.
People with factitious disorder deceive others by appearing ill, impaired, or injured by faking, purposely getting sick, or self-injury. They enjoy the attention that being sick brings and the things it allows them to get away with.
By sharing my recipe on how to enjoy being sick I don’t suggest we need to jump from one illness to another and become addicted to being sick, so please let’s not go to such great lengths, ok?
I simply hope to help you be more accepting and kind to yourself when it happens. Even though it will never feel great to be sick, just give it a try and see if it works for you.
You might have already guessed that I am sick right now and bored to death and that’s how I came up with the idea about this article.
I am now off to my next activity before I get bored of writing and you get bored of reading ;-)
You take care and get well soon!
Similar sources:
28 Fun Things to Do When You’re Bored and Sick at Home
