All women have pains — real ones — at various times in our lives. In fact, one in four people suffer from some type of pain that lasts more than 24 hours. As a chronic migraine sufferer (and publisher of The Daily Migraine, an online support group), Lisa Jacobson, a successful entrepreneur knows that all too well. So what do you do about your business when you wake up in pain?

As a business owner, you can’t always call in sick. If you work for someone else, she may not understand how chronic or severe pain can be a legitimate reason for staying home. Here are some tips for dealing with those days when the hurt gets in the way of productivity:

1. Plan for pain. If you suffer from a condition that will keep you out of your place of business from time to time, make sure you have a back-up plan. If you’re the boss, hire a strong right hand or have a few reliable people “on call” for those days.
2. Be honest. Women often don’t like to admit to having health problems. They may simply motor (and suffer) through. That doesn’t help anyone in the long run. If you’re not your best self, you can’t deliver the best service to your clients or the best support to your employees. Of course, such a thing as “TMI” exists. You don’t have to share all your details. Just let your team know the truth.
3. Seek short- and long-term solutions. Lisa started her online community so she could share tips and questions with other people like her. An online or real-life support group can prove invaluable in learning new ways to cope with common ailments. Of course, be sure to seek out the best medical advice too!
4. Don’t give up and take care of yourself. After suffering through migraines for 25 years, Lisa finally found a combination of treatments that works for her.  She first needed to give herself “permission” to devote time and energy to getting better. It turns out that those two elements led her into remission and back to full capacity at work!

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: When this post was originally  published, it became the most heavily-trafficked and shared post on sheBOOM! The Migraine Hat (see below) is a new product that Lisa introduced to her network, providing a way for millions of people to “work through the pain.”

Hats off to Lisa!

More resources:

Ways to keep running your business if you get sick

How to stay healthy at work