198: Why We Lie To Our Boss About Being Sick, And What It Says About Work Culture

We’ve all done it — called in “sick” when we just couldn’t face work. But is that really wrong? In this brutally honest chat, Roula and Rosie dive into the messy truth about taking time off when you’re not technically unwell.Rosie confesses to pulling a couple of “sick” days for her own sanity, while Roula argues that sometimes the system just isn’t built to support honesty — so you’ve got to protect yourself. They unpack guilt, burnout, and whether workplaces should finally normalise mental health days. Things get heated, thoughtful, and a little too real as they debate if lying to your boss might actually be self-care.Would you tell your boss the real reason you need a day off, or keep it to yourself?Topics Covered:Is it ever okay to call in sick when you’re not really sick?The stigma around mental health daysWhy workplace culture breeds guilt and burnoutHow to spot when it’s time to quit or cut backWhat needs to change in work culture to support honesty--------------------☕️ Buy us a coffee!🎙️ Send us a voice message🛍️ Buy some Rosie and Roula merch!--------------------⭐️ Leave us a review▶️ Follow us on Instagram and TikTok🎞️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel--------------------🎧 Check out Roula's podcast🎧 Check out Rosie's podcast