Tips for Managing Chronic Illness While on the Job

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Sometimes, quitting your job is not a viable option after receiving a life-altering diagnosis. You may need to keep working to stay on your workplace’s health insurance plan or to pay your medical bills. However, as your illness progresses you may notice your energy levels depleting more easily, complicating your work life.

When managing a chronic illness in the workplace, there are some tips to keep in mind that can make your life much easier as you adapt to this new normal.

• Communicate with your employer early on. It’s important to notify your employer about your diagnosis in order to work out an agreement regarding accommodations. Talk to your doctor ahead of time to get an idea of what your treatment plan might look like to gauge what accommodations you’ll need.
• Frequently update the people you work with. Changes to your symptoms and treatment plans can happen quickly. Keeping your employer and coworkers in the loop will minimize complications and give everyone time to redistribute work off your shoulders when you need to rest or make a last-minute appointment.
• Ask for support. It can be hard to ask others for help, but your body will thank you for it. Whether asking coworkers for assistance on a project or asking family members to help out around the house, gathering support will give you much needed time to rest.

For more valuable information on staying afloat in the workplace when battling chronic illness, check out Asbestos’ visual below.