If you want to make your voice raspy, avoid drinking a lot of water before you go into work. Wear a few extra layers of clothes even if it’s warm to make it seem like you’ve caught a chill. This can also make you sweat so it seems like you have a fever. The flu can last up to 2 weeks, so make sure you’re able to commit to fake symptoms for more than 1 day.
Conjunctivitis can last up to 2 weeks, so you may have to continue faking symptoms for a few days. Don’t put any of the petroleum jelly directly in your eye, or else you could cause actual irritation. If you do get some in your eyes, rinse it out as soon as possible.
You may also be able to exaggerate how loud sounds are around you. If someone makes a noise that’s slightly loud, you can say something like, “I’m sorry, I have a really bad headache. Would you mind being a little quieter?” If you have a migraine, you may not be able to focus as easily on your work, so be slightly less productive throughout the day.
Food poisoning only usually lasts 1 day, so it may work better to fake it if you want to leave work early.
If you normally wear makeup, don’t put it on the day you fake sick to make it seem like you don’t feel well.
If someone asks you why you’re so tired at work, tell them something like, “I wasn’t feeling very good and couldn’t get to sleep. ”
For example, you can say, “I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well. Can you say that again?” Don’t ignore people entirely since it can come across as rude rather than like you’re sick.
For example, if a printer jams while you’re using it, you could complain by saying, “This thing never works! When are we ever going to get this fixed?”
If you want to look sick, pretend to gag after you swallow something or if you’re near strong-smelling food.
You may even reach your boss’s voicemail so you don’t have to talk to them directly. You can also send your boss an email saying that you’re sick if you don’t want to talk on the phone, but it may seem less believable.
For example, you may say, “When I woke up, I had a sore throat and a terrible cough. I think I may have caught the flu. I don’t want anyone else to get sick, so I think it’s a good idea if I stayed home today. ” Practice what you’re going to say a few times before you make the call so you can make it sound more believable.
If you don’t offer to make up work, it may seem like you’re faking your symptoms and they may be less likely to believe you.
Getting caught while you’re faking sick could result in you getting fired. Avoid telling other people that you’re faking sick since they could let your boss or coworkers know.
