CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — A forensic neuropsychologist says despite pressure to always be available, remote workers should call out when feeling unwell or else it will take longer to recover.
“I think before if you’re going to take the day off work, then you know, you’re probably pretty sick,” Dr. Judy Ho, a Pepperdine University psychology professor, said on NewsNation Prime. “But now it’s almost like how much sicker do you have to be because you’re already at home and people think you’re comfortable?”
Ho says people who cave into the guilt and keep working will have a harder time getting better.
“This is because you’re not allowing your body and your mind to get into the rest and relaxation system, the parasympathetic system where your body says this is the time that I can heal,” Ho said.
She believes many people feel pressure to stay on the clock because they want to be a team player.
“I want to remind everyone that decades of research show that if your physical and mental health are not up to par, you’re not going to be your most productive self,” Ho said. “Actually, it might have the opposite effect of actually getting you in trouble at work.”
Ho also believes people should treat mental health issues just like physical illnesses.
“Allow yourself that time off, don’t feel guilty about it and just know that it will actually make you much better the next couple of days,” Ho said.