Do you feel guilty when calling in sick at work? This might be why...

There are a variety of factors that influence someone's approach to sickness absence.For some, work is closely tied to identity. Occupational psychologists call this work centrality - and research links this to greater engagement, commitment and willingness to go the extra mile.If work is central to who you are, being absent can feel like temporarily losing part of yourself."These people feel a strong desire to keep showing up," says Dr Audrey Tang, a psychologist who writes about workplace wellbeing.She says those working in caring professions such as medicine, nursing and teaching have a particular tendency towards this."They often report they would rather have a physical accident to have a reason not to show up than just take the day off."Others fear being seen as weak or lazy. Younger workers are particularly susceptible to this, says Tang."They're more likely to be early in their profession and they don't want to leave a negative impression."Deciding whether you are too sick to work is not always straightforward.For physical illness, Tang says there are some well-established rules of thumb."If you're vomiting and have diarrhoea or have a fever, you should stay at home for 48 hours and 24 hours respectively after the symptoms have passed. In those situations, you're unlikely to be able to work effectively anyway."Beyond that, the decision becomes more nuanced, according to Tang."Where there is more of a grey area is with coughs and colds. Since Covid, workplace etiquette has changed - generally it's considered polite to work from home."But she says an absolute must is that mental health should be treated no differently than physical health. "If you're sick and unable to work, you're sick and unable to work."Quinn-Cirillo adds: "Ultimately it's about capacity to do a job, whether it be physical or mental health."A further warning sign is when work starts affecting basic self-care, she says."Is your ability to look after yourself changing? Are you able to decompress from work? Is your sleep OK?"If the answer is no, it may be a sign that rest is exactly what is needed.