DiscoverCalling In SickHow to Work Smarter (Not Harder) With Chronic Illness
How to Work Smarter (Not Harder) With Chronic Illness

How to Work Smarter (Not Harder) With Chronic Illness

Update: 2025-12-08
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This week on Calling in Sick we’re talking about one of the most controversial skills you’ll ever learn with chronic illness… working smarter instead of harder.




After 25+ years being the patient, I’ve learned something I WISH someone told me as a kid… healthy-person rules were never designed for us. So I’m walking you through the “rules” I break on purpose, why my body finally didn’t crash after a holiday (knocking on wood), and the smarter systems I’ve built that protect my energy, time, and sanity.




We’re diving into:
✨ Automating anything that drains your energy
✨ Outsourcing high-spoon, low-reward tasks
✨ Scheduling around spoons (not expectations)
✨ Proactive wellness + mobility aids BEFORE you look sick
✨ Habit stacking (my Soft30 girlies knowwww)




We’ll talk if it’s OK taking mid-day naps during the workweek, cancelling last-minute, using a wheelchair-at-the-airport and what mindset shift that changed everything for me this year.




If you’ve ever been called lazy, dramatic, or “too much” for doing what your body actually needs… then this episode is going to be like a chat with THAT friend who encourages you to break every rule healthy people consider “normal.”




xx,
Alex




💬 COMMENT: What societal rule do YOU break because of chronic illness?






TIMESTAMPS:


Intro:
00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!
00:01:20 Introducing... Soft30 Challenge with Elastique
00:04:20 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Elastique, Comrad, MERCH!!!)


Work Smarter, Not Harder:
00:06:47 Why working smarter not harder may disappoint healthy people
00:10:37 Tip 1: Automate anything that drains you
00:12:39 Tip 2: Outsource selectively
00:15:22 Tip 3: Own your own schedule
00:18:12 Tip 4: Be proactive with your spoons
00:22:33 Tip 5: Habit stacking & My top 5 wellness tools // products


Conclusion:
00:27:48 One Brain Cell Show: Man on the Inside (Netflix)
00:29:42 Thank you for listening!


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Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/




Alex’s Picks of the Week:


We’re talking smarter systems and strategies this week… which obviously means I had to pick things in-line with that aka compression wear


Elastique — https://tidd.ly/4oyZWpa


—— ALEXW30 for 30%


Comrad Socks — go.shopmy.us/p-28820619


—— ALEXWILDESON for 20%




Our MERCH is available still…. Get it while it lasts!!!! — https://calling-in-sick.myshopify.com/


—— Use code “ZOFRAN” for a special discount!!








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How to Work Smarter (Not Harder) With Chronic Illness

How to Work Smarter (Not Harder) With Chronic Illness

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