Everyone needs an unscheduled day off from time to time for vacation or rest. Unfortunately, your workplace may not value your spontaneity, and with good reason. Luckily, there's something you can do in a situation like this: admit to being sick. Obviously this isn't a technique you can use too often, but it can give you the good rest you need. To admit to being sick, you must reassure your co-worker that you were really sick the previous day and make a phone call to your boss that you are very sad to have to stay home because of your illness without overdoing it.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making a Call or Making a Call
Step 1. Call your boss or supervisor early the next day
Don't procrastinate - the sooner you tell your boss, the better. Plus, you'll have a more raucous voice after you wake up, making you more reassuring. Plus, if you call early, you're more likely to get your boss's voicemail or get it unprepared. If you call too late, it will show that you are not thinking about your boss's feelings.
- Keep your conversation short. While knowing your “illness” will help you feel better prepared, you should remember that stories are a common thing for liars to do. Don't go into too much detail-just say you're not feeling well and won't go in. Provide enough information for your boss to believe, such as saying, “I stayed up all night” or “I have a bad stomachache.”
- You could also say, "I know I had to say it yesterday, but I hope the pain will subside with enough sleep." By being less visible, show that you really hope to come to work.
Step 2. Make sure you sound sick
While you shouldn't overdo it when you do it, it won't hurt you if you sound a little sick. In addition to making a hoarse call in the morning, sometimes you can cough or sneeze so your boss thinks you're sick without overdoing it. You can also speak a little more slowly and subtly to show you don't have full strength. Practice first so it sounds convincing.
- If you want to make your voice hoarse, you can scream into a pillow for ten seconds or so before calling. But this will hurt your throat, so make sure it's useful.
- You can also try to sound a little unfocused and muddled. If you sound very sharp and are quick to answer your boss' questions, you probably won't be very convincing as a sick person.
Step 3. Be prepared for questions
Is your boss the noisy type? Try to think about what questions to ask. For example, if you work in food service, your boss may ask you how contagious your virus is. He or she may also ask if you've tried everything you can to feel better about coming to work. It's best if you say you're contagious and have tried everything you can (painkillers, antacids, drink lots of fluids, etc.) but it's not getting better.
Casually mention you've called the doctor and are waiting to hear back for an appointment because it's full. During peak flu season, it may be a few days before your doctor can make your appointment. If your boss wants a note after you get back, you can say the appointment isn't until next week. This can give you time to see a doctor
Step 4. End the conversation on a good note
When you're done talking to your boss, try to leave a positive impression as much as possible. Say you'll try your best to get the job done the next day and that you're grateful that your boss is so understanding. Show how committed you are to your work and how eager you are to come back to complete your responsibilities. Give your boss the feeling that you are more guilty about having to take permission than you can't wait to watch TV and leave your job.
- You can also tell your boss to contact you with questions if he needs your help. If you want to be bothered on your fake sick day, you can say, "I'll be in bed all day, so you can call me if you need help…" But do this if you think your boss will be missing out a lot without you.
- End the conversation by thanking your boss for being so understanding.
Method 2 of 3: Follow up
Step 1. Follow up on your pain when you return to work
Don't come into work very well after a sick day. Make it look like you are healing. Blow your nose occasionally and cough slowly. You don't have to over-act like a martyr just back at work. Don't mention your illness and let others ask you how you feel. You should be more natural by saying "I'm not as sick as yesterday, really" or "I just need some sleep and I'll be fine."
- If you want to look more authentic, don't sleep so much the night before that you come back to work looking tired and sleep deprived. This gives you credibility for future sick leave (and an excuse to stay up late).
- Behave a little more quietly that day. Don't be too intimate or talkative with your coworkers, and decline the invitation. Remember you still have to save your energy.
Step 2. Don't tell your co-workers if you pretend to be sick
You may be close to one of your coworkers and he won't bring you down, but you have to be careful about telling him if you're pretending to be sick. Your coworkers won't want to shake hands with you, and think you're irresponsible and annoying. Plus, if your coworker repeats what you said and your boss heard, not only will you get yourself into new trouble, but you won't be able to pretend to be sick anymore.
- Also, being called out for faking sickness will make your boss suspicious of future sick leave when you are really sick. You don't want to keep defending yourself while you're working there.
- Hey, we all need the occasional day off and no judgment. But that doesn't mean you can brag about it, or that it will show you're not serious about your work.
Step 3. Be friendly with your boss
Once you are sick, you should be nice to your boss when you return to work. You don't have to mention your illness or thank you for understanding you, but you do have to work with a good attitude and give off a good aura. Make him remember how good you are and don't let your boss think you're playing games.
You don't need to overestimate your friendliness or say how much you like your job and how much it means to your life
Step 4. Make it a good work day
When you return to work from sick leave, you have to do your best. This is not a day when you are late or spend two hours on your personal business. Instead, you should work well during office hours, contribute to meetings, answer emails, and do whatever you feel will make a good impression.
- You may often complain to your coworkers when you are at work, but you should be more positive when you come back. You don't want your boss to hear your complaints after taking the day off.
- It's okay to feign illness once in a while, but if slacking becomes your habit, your job will be in jeopardy. Try to whistle at work as much as possible when you return to work.
Method 3 of 3: Prepare to Make Phone
Step 1. Take a good time to call
You may think that every day is a good day to feign illness, but if you really want to fake your illness, you have to be a little smarter. If you pick the wrong day to feign illness, you'll have a harder time convincing your boss. Make sure the opportunity is on your side before executing your plan. Here are things to keep in mind:
- Be prepared to be absolutely reassuring if you call on Monday or Friday. It will be harder for your boss to believe that you are really sick during the long weekend.
- Make sure you haven't been sick recently or taken a lot of leave from work.
- Don't fake your pain after you've had an argument at work, or after you've complained a lot. You don't want your boss to see your fake pain as an insult. Your illness will look more convincing if all was well the last time you worked.
- Try not to miss an unpleasant day at work. If your boss finds out you hate the scary monthly meeting, you shouldn't fake being sick that day - no matter how good you feel.
Step 2. Show the basic work
If you are planning to leave because of illness, you should try to appear sick the day before without making it too obvious. Don't fake a cough all day, but make it look like you're not feeling well and sneeze a little, getting your coworkers to ask if you're sick. Act like you're sick but in denial, so your coworkers don't suspect you're faking it. Setting this foundation the day before will make it more convincing to take the day off the next day.
- Be quieter that day too. If you're too energized one day and sick the next day, people will be surprised. Turn down an invitation to lunch or happy hours the day before you call for sick leave.
- Try to eat drugs like Advil around your coworkers.
- Blow your nose a little more often.
- If you have to have lunch with your co-workers, don't finish your meal so you look like you don't have an appetite.
- Don't look too neat that day. Toss your hair a bit, don't wear your best clothes, and try to look a little tired around your eyes.
Step 3. Know your illness
While your boss won't ask too many questions, it's important to know your pain before calling. Instead of just saying you're not feeling well, saying you have a migraine, stomachache, or the flu can help make your argument more convincing. You'll need to prepare answers to your boss' questions, such as when you started feeling sick, when you'll be back, and whether you're going to the doctor. You don't want to sound doubtful, or your boss will suspect you're faking it.
- If you want to take a few days off, choose a good sick. Severe migraines or ulcers give you a break for two days or more, because these illnesses can occur at any time and over a long period of time. Red eyes or sore throat may last longer. Whatever your choice, you should do your research so you can discuss the symptoms clearly.
- You can even practice this conversation with a close friend to be sure. Chances are your boss won't ask about your illness in detail but it would be best to prepare yourself.
Step 4. Get ready to relax at home
Don't fake being sick then hiking with your wife or throwing a party with your friends. If you pretend to be sick and behave super socially, your boss will know. You should ask for sick leave when you just want to be in bed, around the house, and relaxing - the kind of thing you do when you're sick minus the sore part.
- Besides, if you spend your sick day and come to the office with black skin, it will look suspicious.
- Turn off social media that will tempt you to open on your 'sick day'. This way, your boss won't stare at your midday hiking photos that you should be sick or leave comments that would raise suspicion on your health.
Tips
- Make sure you don't tell anyone that you're pretending to be sick; or, they will tell your boss, and you will get in trouble.
- Try not to take sick leave on Mondays or Fridays. Sometimes a permit on Tuesday is more convincing. Also, don't make it a habit to leave on important days like days where the team needs overtime to meet deadlines. This will risk destroying your relationship with your coworkers, especially if they suspect you are faking it.
- Make a reputation. Work when you're really sick, so your boss doesn't think you're faking it when you choose to pretend you're sick. When you've been kicked out multiple times for being sick (and contagious) at work, your boss will be grateful when you get sick and think you've finally taken everyone's advice to rest.
- If you are sick and need a doctor's note, ask for more "time back to work" than you need. Return to your work place earlier than stated in the doctor's letter. This will make you look like a dedicated employee who uses less sick time than necessary. It also provides you with documentation that you can show on the employee record, in case it will be asked in the future. (Note that some employers won't allow you to return to work until you've recovered. If you return to work earlier than you should, your boss may tell you to come home.)
- Don't "schedule" your sick day in advance. If your boss finds out that you planned your illness two weeks in advance, you may lose your job.
- In the UK, the Food Standards Agency expects the employer of “food handlers” not to employ employees 48 hours after the vomiting or diarrhea symptoms have stopped; 24 hours of illness can mean 3 days off work. Of course, if you do have diarrhea, this is no consolation for your weak self.
- If you and a friend want sick leave, try not to call on the same day.
- If you have a social media page, remember to update your status – something like, “OMG, I feel so bad…I'm making chicken soup”. What you don't want to do is update your status about going shopping, swimming, sightseeing, etc. when you should have a severe fever that prevents you from attending school/work.
- If you have children, they can be an excuse not to come to work. Also, you can regret not having more time at home when they are sick, so be careful with this.
- Having a good reputation for honest work will clear up any doubts your boss or co-workers have about you. If you're the lazy type and try to run away from work, this won't be easy for you.
- If you take care of important business but still want to take the day off, come to work in the morning. Take care of what you need and keep quiet. If people ask what's wrong, just say you're not feeling well. When you've decided to leave, just come to your boss and tell them you're sick and going home. Don't ask, say. Explain that you've got some important business done today, and there's nothing your boss can do to say no.
- If you go to the beach on your off day, don't forget sunblock. Showing up to the office the next day looking like a lobster would be embarrassing and burdensome.
Warnings
- Don't use the excuse that someone in your family died because your boss will find out and you'll be caught lying. This will make you less trustworthy when someone actually dies.
- In the end, if you need more days off than you can count, look back at your work. It may make you uncomfortable with what you are doing and actually damage your health with anxiety, and disappointment. In this case, you need to think long and hard to change your job.
- Taking time off will affect all coworkers. Think carefully before overburdening your coworkers and leaving people out suddenly..
- Most employers have a no-fault absentee program. Check with your company's human resource department to see your absence. In the no-fault absence program, you will be penalized with or without a doctor's letter. So be careful if you want to take the day off, your work may depend on this.
- This is not a good idea because you will be putting an unnecessary burden on if you lie. If you have a problem at work, talk to your boss privately and he will help you.
