Introduction

Chronic illness can make working life challenging to navigate. This is part of a series of articles I am writing focusing on people with chronic illnesses employed by a company. I’ve written this from my context of working and living in India, but the themes are universal.

I write from my own experience. This is my perspective and my journey of living with two debilitating and unpredictable chronic illnesses and a myriad of other conditions and life situations with its blessings and miracles, too.

I have navigated the corporate working life with fast-paced, high-pressure, demanding jobs, which have broken me. They have also set me free. They have given me the opportunity of my lifetime to get off the well-worn path and walk paths untrodden.

I have not come across many resources that are helpful to navigating working life while living with chronic illness. However, there are some fantastic books and memoirs on living with chronic illness and some life-changing guides, too.

Here’s my take on this subject. As you read through this, I’d like us to remember this quote by Devdutt Pattanaik, the mythologist and best-selling author.

“Within infinite myths lies the eternal truth
Who sees it all?
Varuna has but a thousand eyes,
Indra has a hundred,
You and I, only two.”

The hope for the series is that it sets you thinking and making changes to your life and work so that you can live them both fully, no matter what is happening inside your body.

I also write this because I have learnt some lessons about living and working with chronic illness that I have forgotten. As a Work-Life Coach, I also work with people who have chronic illnesses and who are trying to navigate a rigid working environment.

This is intended as a resource to myself and others in similar boats to know that we aren’t alone; we are supported, understood and seen for who we are, not just for what we do. We are more than our diagnoses, labels or identities.

Speaking About Chronic Illness

What do I mean when I say chronic illness?

Any long-term condition that needs active management and for which there is no cure in sight/available/accessible is what I am referring to as chronic illness in this series. They can be invisible or visible illnesses. It can be a mental or physical illness, including autoimmune conditions.

Is this series applicable only to people living with chronic illness?

It speaks to people who are living and managing chronic illness, but this is helpful for everyone because we are all going to grow old (which is NOT an illness, but something some of us can find hard to accept), go through changes in our body (menopause, etc.) and the topics are universal, especially if you are looking to have more sanity in your life and work.

Accessibility for the Reader

I am writing this in text to begin with, ensuring that it is accessible for people to read without tiring themselves. I would also like to add cheat sheets, infographics, and visual aids to help readers absorb information better. I would also like to develop an audio version some time this year. If you have any feedback on any topics that would be helpful to cover, please submit them here.

The topics would be collated based on category, tools, resources and audio files would be made available as products for sale here. However, the articles are going to be accessible here for free.

List of Topics (Tentative!)

It is scary to publish a list of topics before writing all of them. So, topics here are flexible, and I will change, add or delete them as I write more and receive feedback.

1. The Role of Money
2. Creating a Freedom Fund
3. Set Your Boundaries At Work
4. Having Less Ambition/Leave The Rat Race
5. Keep it Private
6. Ask for Clear Accommodations
7. Cut Down Digital Time
8. Be Fully Present Where You Are
9. Stop Multi-Tasking
10. Work With Your Body/Understand Your Energy Cycles
11. Learn To Be Ruthless With Your Attention
12. Audit Your Work & Environment
13. Speak Up When It Helps You & Others
14. Work With Yourself
15. Keep Your Heart Open To Others
16. Make Time For Your Well-Being
17. Get Yourself Organised
18. Have A Life
19. Take Rejuvenating Breaks
20. What Is Your Tuna Sandwich?
21. Measure Your Progress With Data
22. Build Emotional Intelligence
23. Cultivate The Skill Of Reflection
24. “The Don’t Know” Mind or The “Curious” Mind
25. Be Flexible With Strategies
26. Work With Others, Not For/Under Others
27. Energy Management Instead of Time Management
28. Using Technology Instead of WillPower
29. Working With Fear (Future/Disability/Death)
30. Holding Beliefs Lightly
31. Being Grateful As a Conscious Act
32. This Is Me – My Story

How do I get updates on this series?

You can subscribe here if you’d like to receive the full text of each topic as and when I write them. Otherwise, if you are subscribed to Being Sane, you will receive the link to the article at the bottom of the newsletter, which you can click to read online.

Do you know someone with a chronic illness?

If yes, and you think this series would be helpful, forward them this link to subscribe.

Would you like to share your story?

As you read this, if you have your own story of working and living with chronic illness, I invite you to share it here so that we can talk about this openly and share our ways of living and being with others.