Returning to work after being signed off

[Pieces]

So, for the past week I’ve been off work. I visited my GP last week as I was feeling very stressed/anxious due to huge changes in my job, it was effecting my sleep, my moods and I was generally feeling very low which is completely unlike me.

GP advised time away from work which if I’m honest, scared me as I had never been signed off before.
After much persuading I took her advice and have had a week away.

The whole time I’ve been worried sick. Worried how my colleagues are getting on without me (they are also very over stretched and some are close to leaving the business).
Worried that I won’t be taken seriously. Worried that nothing will change.
Today I’m waiting for a call from my boss to see how I’m doing.
Part of me wants to return solely because I care about my colleagues and would hate to think they have been burdened with some of my work.
But on the other hand I don’t feel any different to how I did before I had this weeks “break”.
I don’t find my boss easy to talk to as they never seem to listen and HR are non existent (it’s a small business and HR person is a relation to the boss)

I’m unsure of what to say to my boss, do I tell them that I want to return but I’m worried that things will be the same and therefore I might still feel this way?

Anyone been in this situation before?
I’m just after a bit of advice really from other people that have been signed off and how they dealt with their return to work.

[Megandllsmum]

I was signed off for depression and anxiety last December, I work in retail and its peak season then so was dreading speaking to my manager and letting down the other girls I work with, my manager was amazing took me for a coffee in the supermarket next door rather than us talking in work and she told me to take as long as I needed, health was more important than my job etc etc, I could feel my anxiety dropping with every word she said cos I'd built myself up so much that what I was doing was wrong, I was signed off for two weeks and then when I returned I returned on reduced hours, I don't work many hours anyway but worked even less and to start with I was working with someone else rather than alone which was nice. I had to do a back to work interview but it was nothing at all to worry about. I now regularly discuss my mental health with my manager and if we feel I'm not coping well we cut my hours back to minimum so far so good it hasn't been necessary for a while. Hope things improve for you soon xx

[Pieces]

Thank you.
It’s the dreaded chat I’m so worried about. It’s hard to talk about I’m feeling with someone I’m not close to.
I just want a few things to change at work.
I work full time and will continue doing so, I just want to be listened to and a few minor changes to happen to take a bit of the burden away. It would make a massive difference.
It’s all been a bit much lately.
I’m really glad your manager was so great, that exactly what is needed in situations like this.

[RickT]

Originally Posted by Pieces

So, for the past week I’ve been off work. I visited my GP last week as I was feeling very stressed/anxious due to huge changes in my job, it was effecting my sleep, my moods and I was generally feeling very low which is completely unlike me.

GP advised time away from work which if I’m honest, scared me as I had never been signed off before.
After much persuading I took her advice and have had a week away.

The whole time I’ve been worried sick. Worried how my colleagues are getting on without me (they are also very over stretched and some are close to leaving the business).
Worried that I won’t be taken seriously. Worried that nothing will change.
Today I’m waiting for a call from my boss to see how I’m doing.
Part of me wants to return solely because I care about my colleagues and would hate to think they have been burdened with some of my work.
But on the other hand I don’t feel any different to how I did before I had this weeks “break”.
I don’t find my boss easy to talk to as they never seem to listen and HR are non existent (it’s a small business and HR person is a relation to the boss)

I’m unsure of what to say to my boss, do I tell them that I want to return but I’m worried that things will be the same and therefore I might still feel this way?

Anyone been in this situation before?
I’m just after a bit of advice really from other people that have been signed off and how they dealt with their return to work.

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Good to hear you took the GP advice, without knowing you but based on what you have wrote, at the moment your mindset is still on focusing on other things about work and not what matters... and that is you and your own health..

You need to switch off and not worry about anyone else in your team, they will get by, they get by when you or another member of the team goes on holiday or unplanned leave. You need to focus on yourself only and your family. Having a resource out of the team can also highlight resource headcount issues in the team which may need to be address to assist with the pressures been placed on the existing team members...

You are not ready to return to work after 1 week as its really not enough time to fully unwind, it can take a couple of weeks. (note - i have never been off work for these types of reasons but have fully supported members of my team i manage who have.)

The only thing i would say though, try and not have too much time off (ie months) if you can as the longer you are off the harder it is to return, but do look at return to work plan on reduced hours to start with which ramp up over the coming weeks to allow you to get back into your job with reduced pressure and change. (you still get paid for your contracted hours)

Good look and reminder to think about yourself first before others...

[duchy]

This might sound brutal but absolutely no one at work is indispensable. The business may not run as smoothly when you aren't there but it won't grind to a halt. And more to the point you aren't paid to worry about that , that's a boss's job!
Your job is to deal with your stress and anxiety so you can return ready to work. If that includes talking to your boss about what aspects of work could be changed to break the pattern then do it ... but as well as highlighting the problems it may be an easier conversation if you also have suggestions how that can be achieved.
Work stress is horrible , there's an opertunity come up at work I was considering applying for but your post has reminded me how awful work stress can be and is making me reevaluate if it's what I really want.
Remember no one ever said on their death bed "I wish I'd spent more time in the office" !

[Pieces]

Such great advice. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
It’s hit home and you’re right.
I need to try to stop worrying starting today. Thanks again.

[Floridag1rl]

I have just returned to work after being off for 8 months. I was eager to get back to work but I am doing limited hours. I normally work 3 days a week, the first week I have worked 3 hours per day and this week I worked four hours per day and next week it will be five hours. I feel tired so i have been going to bed very early, I have just gained my confidence this week and I am getting back into the awing of things now. I have a bad back so I have a special chair to sit on but I have to keep geting up regularly and taking breaks etc. I have learnt that the business has continued without me for 8 months so it doesn't matter if I am there or not. I have a comp[letely different attitude to work now, I do my best while I am there but at the end of the day I go home and don't think about it anymore until I return. I also don't let anything stress me out at work any more.

[Disney_time]

Originally Posted by Pieces

I’m unsure of what to say to my boss, do I tell them that I want to return but I’m worried that things will be the same and therefore I might still feel this way?

See more...

Originally Posted by Pieces

I just want to be listened to and a few minor changes to happen to take a bit of the burden away. It would make a difference.

See more...

Good luck with your telephone conversation today. You have said a couple of things in your posts that you really have to say to your manager. You could have some things written down as it's easy to get flustered, I know I would, and since you're on the phone, they won't see. Hope it goes well.

[Alfiesmum]

Nearly two years ago I was signed off work. I was under a lot of stress and I was being bullied by senior management. I saw my gp who signed me off for two weeks initially. But, once I was off I literally broke down, I was crying a lot and was also angry for no reason. I could not face returning to work. With help I realised that I need an extended amount of time away from work. To do things that would be good for me which was listening to music, exercise and gardening. It wasnt until I started to forget about work that I started to feel better. I ended up having 3 months off work and returned on a phased return. I try to remember now that my job isn't a life of death. I'm still stuck in the same job but i've learnt to cope with it better now. Also, senior management have stopped bullying me as I got my union involved (which I found was a great help to me).
From my experience you need to take extended sickness leave and get yourself well. Try to forget about work as much as you can.

[Pieces]

Thanks everyone.
I was thinking of going back tomorrow before this thread. I still haven’t been contacted by my management since we last spoke (when I told them about the time off which they were “ok” about)
Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.