Since Christmas last year (2024) I suffered from serious flu till now (as of 7 January 2025). I have no choice but to do nothing at home.

While I believe it is due to a bus passenger I met on Christmas Eve spreading me the disease (she kept coughing without covering her mouth), there are also other various combination of factors when occurred for long, like being too stressful when working, compact working schedule and too much self demanding.

I worked in a kitchen of a fast food restaurant so you can imagine how fast pace it is, especially during Christmas period. Especially when I started my job not long ago.

I took a day of sick leave and then worked again, and even tried to take part in a drawing event on day off. However my body “protested” when I was working, and I felt the urge to stop doing everything and staying at home.

I felt desperate when I knew I needed to work even 7 days in a row. I was so struggling and needed to call my GP and they arranged an appointment for me, writing me a fit note and giving me medicines in order to make sure I can take a good rest.

I thus made a decision of quitting my job. I know I need to have money, I know looking for a job is not easy, but I know the job can ruin my health again.

And I wonder why we must always be productive, and why we must always be fast. Why can’t we slow down or even stop for a while? Why getting things done? Why do we have to feel miserable when things are falling behind?

But being able to be productive doesn’t mean you are no longer miserable. The outer world is changing and thus the standard. We, as a human not machine, will never chase everything well forever.