It’s a scenario that’s all too familiar: you wake up feeling off, with a sore throat or painful body aches, and you’re wondering if you should call out of work. On one hand, being able to rest properly will help you bounce back faster. On the other hand, there may be some urgent tasks on your to-do list that can’t wait, and taking a day off will only cause a bigger backlog. How do you make the call?

There are a lot of questions to ask yourself when thinking about calling out of work, but the most important are the following: First, will you be unproductive? Second, are your symptoms potentially contagious to your coworkers? If you answer yes to either and have at least one of the symptoms below, you might be better off staying home.

1. Fever and Chills

If you think you have a fever, check your temperature to see how severe it is. A digital thermometer can give you a reading within a few seconds and let you know if you’re dealing with a low-grade fever or something worse. If your temperature is above 38°C, it’s better to stay home and rest up.

A fever is usually accompanied by other symptoms since it’s a sign that your body is fighting an illness or infection. Accompanying signs like a sore throat or cough could point to a cold or the flu, which are both contagious illnesses. If you suspect you have a contagious disease, it’s time to call in sick for a few days until you’re better.

2. Runny Nose and Sore Throat

These are telltale symptoms of a cold or the flu, even without an accompanying fever. However, it’s important to learn how to distinguish them from allergic reactions, which have similar symptoms but are not contagious. If your symptoms began gradually or are accompanied by body aches, or you were recently exposed to someone else who is sick, then you may have a cold or the flu. If you’re experiencing these symptoms but have shown no other signs of a viral infection, then you might be having allergies instead. Second-generation antihistamines can help with allergic reactions without causing serious drowsiness so that you can go to work with minimal issues.

3. Diarrhea and/or Vomiting

If you’re experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, it’s better to stay home for a few days. These are common signs of gastrointestinal illnesses,  many of which are contagious. Going to work in spite of these symptoms risks spreading your illness to your colleagues. Another good reason to stay home is because of how disruptive diarrhea and vomiting can be to your everyday routine. These are usually accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and stomach pain, which will affect your overall productivity. Stay home and rest up until symptoms are completely gone for at least 48 hours, just to be safe.

4. Pink Eye

Pink eye, also known as viral conjunctivitis, is a viral or bacterial eye infection characterized by eye redness, tearing, itching, and swollen eyelids. It’s also accompanied by yellow, green, or clear discharge. It’s also highly contagious. If you touch your infected eye and then touch an object with the same hand, the virus or bacteria can remain on that surface and infect anyone who later comes into contact with it.

You’ll have to stay home if you have pink eye, though if you have no other symptoms, you should get permission from your supervisors to work from home. In the meantime, avoid touching your eyes and practice good hand hygiene to prevent spreading the infection to the people you live with.

5. Worsening Chronic Conditions

If you have a chronic condition such as asthma, diabetes, or an autoimmune condition like lupus, you may have experienced moments where your symptoms suddenly act up and worsen. These flare-ups may occur because of stress, environmental changes, or even because of a different illness or infection. Going to work while your condition is acting up could be dangerous and affect your productivity, so it’s best to call a sick day to give yourself time to rest. If the flare-up persists, call your doctor.

Protect Yourself and Your Coworkers

Staying at home won’t just help you get back on your feet faster, but it’ll also keep your coworkers from catching any illnesses you may have. As long as you make sure your responsibilities are in order, calling in sick for a few days and allowing yourself the rest that you need is often the best option. If you think your symptoms are getting worse, don’t hesitate to call your doctor for proper medical advice.