People are reluctant to take days off for a variety of reasons. Some can't afford to take the days off; others are too scared to ask and want to look driven; and still others feel like they have way too much work to get done. However, asking for a day off when you're sick can be harder to put off . Still, if you're able to take some much-needed time off to take care of yourself, there are a few basic things you can do to ensure the ask goes as smoothly as possible.