I recently introduced the first in a series of articles from HealthCentral.com that I had the honor of contributing to as part of their Dream Big series.
The week 2 article is titled, Dream Big: How to Put Yourself Back at the Center of Your Life (Make your job work for you and your chronic illness). It's all about optimizing your work life so that you can best support your well-being while acing your job duties.
The Week 2 Goal Plan includes:
Step 1: Schedule Ahead Whenever Possible
Step 2: Keep Necessities on Hand
Step 3: Seek Out the Accommodations You Need
Step 3 is a BIG one for sure! And not easy to know how to do. There are some that are comfortable and confident with being fully transparent about the need for accommodations as early as the first interview. However, others have found it better for them to be more transparent later in the process or once the job has been offered. Honestly, this can be a pretty tricky thing to navigate and every person has to decide what is best for them.
"Despite the ADA laws requiring reasonable accommodations, the wording and enforcement of these policies is still fairly broad and somewhat subjective, adds Archilla, leaving some employers thinking that certain accommodations are not “reasonable” and putting an employee in a position to have to either fight for their rights or leave the job. “This is an awful reality but one that needs to be understood by an employee seeking accommodations,” she explains. “In all honesty, not every employer or company will be supportive, so it’s important to think things through as much as possible before approaching this conversation,” she notes. If you have an ally in human resources, or a manager whom you feel comfortable talking to, start there. “Find out what benefits you have and what company resources you can tap into,” adds Archilla."
“If your boss and coworkers have at least some idea of what you’re experiencing or may experience, including some knowledge of the treatment plan and even what a flare is, they will have the opportunity to show support,” says Archilla. “But you get to decide who to tell, when to tell and what to tell.”
There may also come a time where considering a job switch is the best option. “Many people tie their identity to what they do,” says Archilla. “But learning to live with an illness is a process that can take time, and may require some modifications in your work.”
Please follow the link here to the full article and share with anyone in your world that may benefit from it: https://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-health/dream-big-prioritizing-yourself-week-2
And stay tuned, once again, for the next installment, Week 3!! 🥰