Being a sole trader and coping with sickness

[RPower]

Morning,

After suffering (and still suffering from) a bout of flu that has knocked me out for almost a week, it got me to thinking of how entrepreneurs and sole traders cover themselves when similar happens to them.

Do you hire in temporary staff, ask a family member to cover for you or simply close up shop?

I'd be interested to hear your ideas!

 

[Ashley_Price]

When I last had flu (a couple of years ago) it knocked me out for about two weeks (for the first week I couldn't get out of bed, except for essential things) and I just shut up shop - but then I was just doing a typing service, so not a major problem.

With the office supplies business, fortunately I can work from home on a laptop if need be, so would still be able to manage.

But I think, I would rather close for a few days than get someone else to look after the business for me. It would take too much training and you don't know what they're up to while you're ill. If they're being rude to customers, etc., you're not necessarily going to know until you get back to work and find they've all gone somewhere else.

 

[AllUpHere]

I just make no provision for illness at all. That way, being I'll isn't an option.

It doesn't always work, but it helps you get out of bed if being ill would cause you real problems.

 

[deniser]

This is a real problem. I drag myself into work for the shortest possible time early in the morning, do the absolute minimum to keep things ticking over, set the answering machine to ask people to email saying we had a staff shortage so the office was closed and then go home to sleep for a few hours and reply to emails.

It was really really difficult to do this when I had pneumonia but I still did it! I live only a 5 minute drive away though - any further distance and I probably wouldn't have gone in.

I did the same in the month before my dad died - worked a couple of hours early in the morning and was absent for the rest of the day but replying to emails as and when I could get wifi.

 

[KM-Tiger]

I drag myself into work for the shortest possible time early in the morning

Particularly with flu type illnesses, mornings are better than the rest of the day, so that does allow to attend to absolute essentials before you start to flag.

Lucky for me I'm home based, so only have to be able to make the 3 yard journey from sick bed to office.

 

[estwig]

I hurt my back very badly just over 3 months ago and spend two weeks on the sofa, up to my eyes in pain killers.

No business happened for those two weeks, I had no choice.

 

[BustersDogs]

I've always worked through illness or injury (but I don't get ill very much) although a few times I took family members out with me on walks just to help out. I have staff now, so more luxury to be ill, but I'd probably still want to work. I hate lying around, I'd be bored.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

The way to cope is not to get ill;-) Can't remember when I last had flu.

 

[Mr A P Davies]

Strange thing is, in the last five years, since I've been by myself, I've not been put out of action by illness.
Apart, that is, from my back failing.
I just know that I have to go to the osteopath, so I do.

It does concern me a bit though.
A week laid up, I could cope with. Any longer, and I'd be in trouble.
It's not like I have a multi million pound enterprise depending upon me, though.
If I was put out of action, I'd work it out somehow.

 

[alasdair1982]

Suck it up and get on with work unfortunately...

Unless your bed bound due catastrophic injuries then just get on with the job.

Joking aside - Never had a day off sick, have probably been less productive at work when have been feeling rubbish but always been at work.

 

[Aileen B]

I set up my business around the fact that I was becoming ill with mental health issues on a regular basis, so I needed the flexibility to press the "Shut down button" at short notice.
This meant having a shut down plan to remove all eBay listings, change my website to view only mode with a banner stating we were shut due to staff illness, and getting family to cover post office runs until everything comes to a stop.
Thankfully I received a major course of treatment 1.5 years ago and have remained fairly well since. It is good to know the plan is there if i become ill again.

 

[woodss]

The single most important thing I can recommend as a self-employed person is to get plenty of sleep.

Lack of sleep causes so many issues to be amplified, including stress, anxiety and depression - let alone physical ailments.

 

[Ian J]

The way to cope is not to get ill;-) Can't remember when I last had flu.

I can. It was three years ago and the one winter that I didn't have a flu jab

 

[Mr A P Davies]

The one thing that bothers me is the appendix, that useless little piece of guts, that only really has any significant effect on life when it gets infected.
I've seen two people, perfectly healthy, going about their daily business without a care in the world, let out a yelp, and hit the floor, doubled over in uncontrollable agony. Both were family members. Three others had milder symptoms.
You can be as healthy and fit as you like, but when that little blighter plays up, your going down.
If I ever get enough money, I'd like to have it removed, before it attacks me.

 

[Mitch3473]

Never been off ill, couldn't afford too.