Fibromyalgia is very complex, painful and fatiguing. Unfortunately, doctors and medical researchers have yet to uncover what the cure to it is. As a result, current sufferers of fibromyalgia have to learn how to cope with it, and part of coping with fibromyalgia is learning how you can work with it.
Fibromyalgia and the Economy
Studies have shown that fibromyalgia does hurt the economy; medical bills for fibromyalgia patients are higher, and employers have to spend more money for each fibromyalgia medical claim. As a result, it makes the most sense for both the employer and the employees who have fibromyalgia to find a way that will allow the employee to work productively in a good work environment.
How Does Fibromyalgia Affect Work Performance?
You can’t let fibromyalgia get the better of you to poorly affect your work performance. The most difficult times that you are likely to experience during work are while studying or focusing hard on something, and when you’re working in high intensity or in a quickly paced work environment. In both circumstances, the symptoms of fibromyalgia will flare up, and these are the instances that you have to control. Trying taking things simply and slowly.
Specific types of fibromyalgia that can affect you in the work place include brain fog, which means that memory problems will make it difficult to focus on tasks at work. Something that goes hand in hand with this is fatigue, and it’s probably what causes the brain fog. Beyond that, fatigue will slow you down and cause confusion. Try to get as much sleep at night as possible.
The most obvious symptom of fibromyalgia, pain, is what will affect a patient the worse in the workplace. You’ll feel pain for extended periods of time and apparently for no reason. It can happen anywhere in the body, and the intensity will vary from sharp and quick to dull and extended.
Anxiety is another symptom that a sufferer in the workplace will face. Anxiety is made worse by consistent exhaustion and pain. All in all, anxiety will most negatively affect someone in the workplace when needing to work in groups with co-workers.
A lowered immune system could be devastating to a patient when a virus or another illness is finding its way through the workplace. Since fibromyalgia patients tend to have a worse immune system, it’s not only easier to catch an illness, it’s more difficult to recover from it as well.
Last but not least, if you’re suffering from fibromyalgia, you’ve likely been prescribed with a number of different medications. Taking the time to take the medications or having to go out to your car to do obviously takes away time to work.
Monitoring Your Symptoms
While all of these symptoms can obviously make working more difficult, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to control them. Keep on the lookout for which symptoms negatively affect your work performance the most and why, and record your findings. You may be surprised to learn that a pattern has developed. Maybe even different areas of the office give you more pain. You can then find ways to manage these symptoms, such as taking a quick drinking, walking around the office space to get some water, or stretching.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself when monitoring your symptoms: do you feel the most pain after waking up in the morning or while you are working? Do you feel relief when you come home after work to relax? Does eating give you any other pain? While at work, do you feel the most pain either in the morning or in the afternoon?
Managing your Symptoms
Once you have begun to monitor your fibromyalgia symptoms, you can then work on managing them. Part of managing your symptoms effectively is to build a routine to manage them. A routine will reduce the amount of energy and stress you spend at work, and will allow you to complete your tasks without hindrance. For example, don’t be afraid to take a few short breaks at work each day. Set a routine, such a short break after every hour. You can also perform exercises to help you during the lunch break; taking the time to stretch will go a very long ways. While this routine can’t be overly strict, as you’ll feel better and worse depending on each day, having a routine in the first place will lead to be more productivity.
You’ll also have to plan on being flexible at work too. If your manager or boss understands your condition and allows it, they may allow you to arrive later or leave earlier, providing that you work a fair amount of hours each week. If it’s at all possible, you could see if you could work from home if it’s more comfortable. If all of your work is done on the computer and the internet anyway, then working from home should be a viable option. By working at home, you can rest when you need to, set the temperature of your home, and exercise whenever the need arises.
An alternative to these options would be to consider moving to a part time job. Yes, a part time job does mean less income, so unless you’re married or otherwise have somebody else who can support you, but if you need the time to focus on managing your fibromyalgia symptoms, it’s certainly a viable option.
Lastly, try to avoid painful tasks such as picking up heavy items or standing in the same spot for an extended time, and reduce the amount of energy you spend. Place items where they can be easily reached and consider re-organizing your workspace. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your co-workers when you need it, even if it’s for a very simple task, and don’t be afraid to say “no” to a request from another co-worker if you don’t think you’re up to it.
Further reading
Fibromyalgia: Work and Disability:
http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/guide/fibromyalgia-work-and-disability
How to Manage Fibromyalgia at Work – 5 Essential Tips:
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