Case Study: Life after Illness, Work Helped

Returning to work after an illness can be like jumping into the ocean in January; cold, unpleasant, and a shock to the system both mentally and physically. The workload can be overwhelming, traditions may have changed, and the people you used to work with might take a little getting used to again.

Other times, however, staying at home during the recovery process can push a person to jump back into work too soon due to boredom (and mid-day soap operas). Work and illness are not compatible, but there are success stories of men and women who have returned to work after an illness and fell right back into place.

It is sometimes easier to return to work after illness when you are going back to the same job. Other times, when attempting a career change, the challenge can be greater; everyone has their own battles to win while on-ramping.

Mary Ellison, 56, is an admissions administrator at a university in London. When she was 54 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news completely changed her daily routine. Mary had to leave work and concentrate on becoming healthy. After months of therapy, she was able to completely beat the deadly disease; but her struggle wasn’t over. Mary now had to find a way to return to her previous lifestyle, including finding her transition back to work. She was extremely nervous going back to work. Luckily for her, her coworkers were very understanding and helped her ease her way back into her old life.

“My colleagues were great at supporting me and didn’t make a fuss if I was a little quiet or tired,” Mary said. “But having that team spirit made going back to work earlier than I needed to a real boost to my confidence.”

Mary partook in a case study and told of her struggle of returning to work after illness. Check out her progress on areturntowork.co.uk.

Life after Illness, Work Helped: A Case Study

Source: Areturntowork.co.uk