11 Affirmations for People Who Feel Anxious When They Call Out of Work

Raise your hand if you feel as if you should call out more for health, but you don’t because you feel guilty and anxious due to living in a capitalistic society where you’re only as good as the work you produce that day, and if you don’t produce work you ultimately feel like a horrible person.

Anyone else raising their hand?

I know for a fact that I need to call out for my health more than I do (yes, I do see the hypocrisy), but due to years of working in massive corporations where I was nothing more than a number on an ID, where co-workers and managers would actively be angry if we did call out… you could say that I haven’t exactly been conditioned to prioritize myself first in any scenario, especially health-related ones.

To think they really wondered why I was so burnt out. Hmph.

Anyways, I’ll keep it a buck – sometimes I do feel as if we need to push through bad days, as much as I hate it. However there’s a difference between pushing through a bad day, and working through days you legitimately should not show up because you are at your limit, or even close to it. However when we’ve been conditioned to feel shame around not producing or showing up to work, it’s hard to actually take care of ourselves.

Taking days out for you and your health are important, and you should feel empowered to do so. If you don’t and instead you’re wallowing in thoughts suggesting that you’re a “bad worker” or that they’re going to be mad at you, then here are some affirmations to hopefully counteract those mean, nasty thoughts.

1. I deserve time to myself, and I don’t have to earn it.

2. I show up every day in the ways that I can. I’m not a bad person for stepping back when I have to.

3. I don’t owe anyone a reason as to why I called out.

4. If they’re understaffed because I call out, that’s a management problem, not a personal problem.

5. Calling out is preventative care, and by doing so I’m actually ensuring my job security.

6. I deserve joy and rest.

7. I’m not a bad coworker for calling out, and if they’re mad at me for doing it, that’s a “them” problem, not a “me” problem.

8. Just because our society overly prioritizes productivity, doesn’t mean that I have to.

9. Even if my job doesn’t support my well-being, there are people (and other jobs) out there that will.

10. I am not solely responsible for the success of my team/company.

And for those of you that need to be reaffirmed in a productive way…

11. I will be a better worker, and be able to give more, if I take care of myself now.

Calling out isn’t a privilege. It should be essential to the betterment of anyone with a job, simply because you’re human.

Take care of and advocate for yourself. You deserve rest, even if that little voice in your head says otherwise.