How to Manage Your Business When You’re Sick in Bed

Every so often, life reminds us that at any moment we can be reduced to a bathrobe, a box of tissues, and a heroic dislike of soup.

When that happens, some of us might try to run our business from bed. This may feel noble. It might even feel necessary.  But a healthy company should continue to function well when one person is temporarily horizontal.

So, the job, when you’re sick, is simple: take care of yourself, and trust people to do their work. A fever has never improved anyone’s judgment. Most emails are not emergencies. And not every problem needs to be solved by you.

In fact, being sidelined can be useful. It reveals whether you’ve built a team—or merely collected people who wait for you to tell them what to do. The best employees rise when given a chance. Clear systems keep moving. Good culture shows itself.

Sometimes the best executive decision is to take a nap. The conference call can wait.

This lesson transcends one bad day in bed. We should strive from the beginning to build an organization that is steady, resilient, and that can function effectively without drama. Each member of a team should have clearly delineated responsibilities. If you have delegated wisely, and guided people well, you can create systems that do not stop functioning efficiently when one person catches a cold.

Build that kind of company now.

One day, when you’re under three blankets sounding like a broken accordion, you’ll be very glad you did.

I know that I am.

Alan