Just Take a Break If You Have COVID, The Grind Can Wait
Sorry Wednesday, working with COVID shouldn't be a flex.
(SPOT.ph) Wearing a layered black dress and her signature deadpan expression to the dance floor, Wednesday Addams, played by Jenny Ortega, danced to The Cramp's Goo Goo Muck and earned the approval of goth heads. She was sick with COVID-19 at that time.
It was her first day with the pandemic disease "so it was awful to film" the trending dance, Ortega said. While it was one of the most iconic scenes of the entire season, it also shows how grind culture is alive even among COVID-stricken Hollywood stars.
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"I woke up and – it’s weird, I never get sick and when I do it’s not very bad – I had the body aches. I felt like I’d been hit by a car and that a little goblin had been let loose in my throat and was scratching the walls of my esophagus. They were giving me medicine between takes because we were waiting on the positive result," Ortega said in an NME interview.
“I asked to redo it but we didn’t have time...I think I probably could have done it a bit better,” the Latina actress said.
The self-choreographed dance garnered mixed reactions as the viral dance sparked a new TikTok trend that got Lady Gaga dressing like an Addam while some fans expressed disappointment, concern, and outrage over the scene where Ortega was seen maskless in a crowded room. The actress "should not be praised for 'working while sick'," according to Twitter users.
No thanks to hustle culture, working long hours even when sick is glamorized to show a person's dedication at work but it shouldn't be the case as it could be detrimental to one's mental and physical health, a human resources practitioner said.
Why COVID-stricken people still hustle hard
COVID-19 lockdowns meant loss of income for those who lost their jobs, while the quickening inflation means goods are becoming more expensive by the day.
"Marami nawalan ng trabaho and some of our employees, sila ang breadwinner, sila lang nagtatrabaho. We know naman kapag holiday and nagwo-work ka, minsan double or triple pay. Kailangan talaga mag-grind ng iba kasi marami ring papamaskuhan," TikTok's Millennial HR Manager Tessa Mercado told SPOT.ph.
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It's also worth noting that COVID-19 can be less severe now thanks to vaccines, booster shots, and antibodies from previous infections so it's not surprising to see Filipino workers dismiss coughs or sniffles as nothing especially during Christmas season which also happens to be flu season, said Mercado.
Some of the other reasons why sick employees power through their illness are because of high job demands, work presenteeism despite low productivity, and dedication to work or what some would call workaholism, said Mercado.
Remote work set-up also gives ill workers leeway to continue working anywhere, even in bed where they can rest their body and still submit their output by the end of the day, she said.
Why you should rest more, grind less
You may be putting others at risk
Those who work onsite, listen up. Working while COVID-positive means there's a chance you can infect others, said Mercado. While others can recover quickly from COVID-19, remember those who have weak immune systems or those who might bring the virus home to their loved ones.
It can also paralyze operations and reduce manpower when others in the workplace get COVID, said Mercado.
It prolongs recovery
Working while sick can reduce productivity and can hamper your ability to properly carry out your responsibilities. It can also prolong recovery so it's best to give yourself time to heal, said Mercado.
Getting sick will hurt you and your wallet
Yes, you may be earning more by working while you're sick, but it could cause more damage to your health and your budget.
"'Yung iniipon mong pera o salary mo mapupunta lang din sa pagpapaospital or medicines so parang wala rin," she said.
Learn how to prioritize
If you are juggling too many activities aside from work, learn when to say no. Is it okay to set aside your side hustle so you can focus on your recovery, for example?
Can't skip work for whatever reason? For Mercado who is a self-proclaimed workaholic, if you are COVID-19 positive with mild symptoms, it's okay to work as long as you don't overexhaust yourself and you take time to rest.
"Make time for yourself kasi kung grind ka nang grind, mabu-burnout ka rin. Unahin palagi ang sarili, nandyan lang naman ang side hustles at iba pang activities."