One of the biggest reasons I hate getting sick is that it means my productivity goes straight out the window. Of course the fact that my body has bigger fish to fry hardly factors into my thinking, but that’s besides the point when I can’t get a lick of work done. It can be really difficult to focus and stay on task when all your body wants to do is rest, so here are some tips for staying motivated while also trying to get better (and less sick).

Reassess Commitments

Let’s face it, nobody is able to operate at 100% while they’re fighting off a cold. Take a look at any upcoming deadlines or commitments over the next week and see where you can give yourself a break. It’s frustrating to have to cancel plans at the last minute, but everyone will understand and nobody will hold it against you.

Do What You Can

If you have a deadline coming up and aren’t able to push it back a week or two, set time aside during your day to work. It may be super tempting to sleep the entire day away in the hopes that you’ll get better quicker, but that’s not always the case. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and taking any medication or cold pills that can help you along so that you’ll have at least a few hours during the day where you’ll feel well enough to work on projects. Just because you’re sick doesn’t mean you have to feel useless. Every little bit counts while you’re sick and if that means sitting in bed watching Netflix all day and only thinking about the work you have to do, then so be it.

Stay Positive

Colds and flus won’t last forever, and although you may feel like you’ll never see the other side of a box of tissues you should stay positive. Yes, it’s frustrating that you can’t get as much done as you would if you were healthy, but your body is working on bringing you back up to speed right now. All you have to do is focus on taking it easy and before you know it you’ll be back on your feet.

At the end of the day, you’re sick! You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself and you shouldn’t feel so guilty about taking a few days off.