Having a fever is normally a good excuse for an office worker to take the day off. The ailment severely weakens the body and hampers a person’s concentration, lowering the rate of productivity. Though, there are some cases where missing work is simply not an option, especially during busy days. You, as an employee, will experience times when you have to go to work with a fever. The question is, can you last for eight working hours? You can, as long as you apply the right strategies.
Fever, by all means, causes discomfort, even during its latter stages. You’ll feel numb and heavy (sometimes accompanied by a headache and a bad cold), and it gets worse when you try to move. Your goal is to find a way for your fever to subside, or to at least conceal the sore feeling induced by the symptom. Once you do, you’ll be able to concentrate on your work better while your fever will be nothing more than a mere inconvenience. Curious? Here are 10 of the niftiest fever-busting strategies for the workplace.
eating spicy food1. Spice Up Your Workday - Sweating reduces the weak and heavy feeling brought by fever. One of the quickest ways to break a sweat is to eat spicy food. Put some hot sauce on your gumbo, Tabasco on your nachos, jalapenos on your cheese sandwich and some Chinese garlic chili on your rice. You’ll soon yelp and howl, but after that, you will feel much better. Take a bite at an extra-spicy dish whenever necessary. Just don’t yelp too loud when you’re inside the office.
2. Have a Break Every Couple of Hours - The air-conditioning units of most offices are set to simulate winter, minus the snow. People usually bring sweaters to the office because of this. If you have fever, you will surely shiver under this condition. What you can do is to tell your supervisor if you can have a break after every couple of hours, so you can do your work and deal with your fever at the same time. If smokers are permitted to leave the office from time to time, they will surely give a feverish person, who’s trying to make a living, the same privileges.
3. Look Pitiful - If your fever is really bad, get ready with some dramatic acting. It may reward you with a sudden sick leave or props from your boss. Whenever your supervisor passes by or looks at your direction, act like your are completely suffering while hurdling your workload. Your boss will likely approach you and ask how you are feeling. Answer him or her, “I’m okay. I can’t leave my work for a little fever.” Your boss will surely be touched. Not before long, you will be an example of the office’s model employee.
4. Winter Gear - Wearing a jacket is usually not enough, if you have a high fever. Act as if it is winter and bring a thick coat, boots and mittens in the office. Wear them when the office air conditioner starts to overwhelm your senses. You will soon sweat, which helps ease the fever’s symptoms. By then, you can focus on your work and generate decent outputs.
5. The Power Nap - Ask a doctor how to treat fever and he or she will advise you to take your medicine and have lots of bed rest. As a working employee, you won’t find a bed in your cubicle, but you can certainly adjust to the given setting. Check the area and make sure that no one is looking. Lay your head on your desk, with your arms acting as the cushion. Take a nap for exactly 15 minutes. When you wake up, you’ll be primed for more work. If your supervisor catches you sleeping, act like you are totally suffering. Tell him/her that your body simply gave out while doing your work.
having a power nap
6. Puking - Puking is probably the world’s ickiest form of generating relief, but it is downright effective. Eat a fairly heavy meal for lunch then drink lots of liquids. When you feel your fever worsen, head to the restroom. Go to a cubicle and force yourself to puke. If you’re having a hard time vomiting, stick your index finger down your throat, which will trigger a puking episode. Continue the process until you feel much lighter. Though, you should avoid this strategy if you just took your medicine.
7. Walk Around - The moment you feel your body weaken, get off your chair and walk out of the office. Increase your pace gradually, so your body picks up momentum. Continue walking until you start to sweat. After sweating for a few minutes, you will feel lighter and you’ll be able to think clearer. Return to your office cubicle. You will be surprised with the quality and the quantity of your outputs right after.
8. Drown Yourself with Encouraging Words - Words, when nicely put together, can influence people to do or even feel things. Given the ability of words to make people believe, you can use an overdose of encouraging statements to battle fever. You can chant, post inspiring status messages on your instant messenger and your social networking accounts, or get encouragement from your closest coworkers. After awhile, you’ll be inspired enough to finish your daily quota, regardless of your condition.
9. Meditate - During the worst times and the most desperate of occasions, meditating or saying a short heartfelt prayer makes a person feel better. It also applies to dealing with fever. Close your eyes for a few minutes and empty your mind. You will soon feel relaxed. At that moment, you can continue meditating or pray for additional strength. You’ll feel refreshed right after. (Tips on how to meditate)
10. Ginger Tea - Ginger, being a natural analgesic and antipyretic, can help reduce your fever and its effects. Drink hot ginger tea when your fever gets too bothersome. You’ll feel some relief right after, giving you enough energy to work for fairly long periods. Just prepare another round, whenever your fever acts up again. For maximum results, use it in conjunction with your medicine. The fever might be gone in a day or two.
ginger tea
Being productive at work is a necessity, given the rise of the global economic crisis. At a time like this, there will be days when you have to report for work, even if you are not feeling well. Knowing more than a few fever-relieving strategies will certainly come in handy during these situations. Such methods will help you do your part in keeping your company, or at least your job afloat.