Are you trying to let your boss know that you’re not feeling well?
Perhaps you’re a bit worried that “I am not feeling well” is unprofessional or informal.
Well, you don’t have to worry any longer.
This article is here to show you how to say “I am not feeling well” to your boss to show them that you can’t make it to work.
Is It Professional to Say “I Am Not Feeling Well”?
It is professional to say “I am not feeling well.” It’s one of the simplest ways to let your boss know that you’re not able to come to work.
Generally, you should use this when you know you’re not fit to work.
It works well in a formal email or in a text message. So, you can use it regardless of how close you are to your boss.
You should review this email sample to learn more about it:
Dear Mr. Jones,
I’m afraid I am not feeling well at the moment.
So, I won’t be able to make it in for my shift today.
Best wishes,
Danielle Jenkins
Pros
- It’s professional and clear.
- It gets to the point quickly without using overly complicated wording.
Cons
- It’s a bit generic.
- It’s not always the most specific way to show that you’re not well.
So, “I am not feeling well” is great to use when messaging your boss. But that doesn’t mean it’s your only option! It’s time to explore different ways to say “I am not feeling well.”
Keep reading to learn the best synonyms to include in your writing. We’ll teach you how to say “I am not feeling well” in an email or text message to let your boss know you can’t work today.
What to Say Instead of “I Am Not Feeling Well”
- I’m not in the best shape today
- I am feeling under the weather
- I’m a bit off today
- I am not quite myself at the moment
- I am not at my best
- I’m not feeling up to par
- I’m experiencing some health issues
- I am not feeling 100%
- I’m feeling a bit unwell
1. I’m Not in the Best Shape Today
You can tell your boss you’re not feeling well by writing “I’m not in the best shape today.”
It’s a fairly conversational choice that shows your boss you’re unable to come to work. So, it’s going to work best when you have a good working relationship with them.
Don’t use this unless you’ve already established a good relationship with your boss. If it’s a new boss or someone you don’t speak with much, it might not be wise to use this phrase.
So, check out this email example if you need more help:
Dear Ms. Jenkins,
I’m afraid I’m not in the best shape today.
So, I will be taking the day off to ensure I recover before coming back to work.
All the best,
Martin Whitehead
2. I Am Feeling Under the Weather
Next, we recommend writing “I am feeling under the weather” instead of “I am not feeling well.”
This is a great phrase that allows you to speak professionally in an email. You can use it to politely say that you are not feeling well when you need to reach out to your boss.
It’s effective because it shows that you’re unable to work, so you’d appreciate some sympathy and time off.
Also, you can review this sample email to learn more:
Dear Miss Randall,
I am feeling under the weather due to a fever.
I’m afraid I can’t come to the office today, but I’ll let you know when I feel better.
Yours,
Georgia Morrison
3. I’m a Bit Off Today
Your next option is “I’m a bit off today.” This is a great way to remain formal, so it’s still effective in emails.
However, it also shows that you would like to receive your boss’ sympathy. It works best in a message to your boss if you already have a good relationship with them.
Here is a great email sample to help you with it:
Dear Miss Kitch,
I’m a bit off today, so is it alright if I take today to recover from my illness?
I’ll keep you informed as to how I’m feeling.
All the best,
Max Ruthers
4. I Am Not Quite Myself at the Moment
We also recommend writing “I am not quite myself at the moment.” It’s another way to say “I am not feeling well,” which shows you need some time away from work.
This one works well when texting your boss. So, it comes with a more conversational and informal tone.
Try using it when you’re feeling unwell but want to remain in your boss’s good books. It shows that you regret needing time off, but you have to ask for it.
If you’re still unsure, you can review these examples:
I can’t come to the office because I am not quite myself at the moment! I’m so sorry to inconvenience you.
I’m not quite myself at the moment, so I need to take a few days off. I hope this is okay.
5. I Am Not at My Best
Next, you can let your boss know you’re unwell by writing “I am not at my best.” This is more conversational, so it’s going to work a lot better in a text message.
Of course, this limits when you can use this.
It’s going to be most effective when you have a great working relationship with your boss. The more you know them (and the more they don’t care about formal language), the easier it is to use a phrase like this.
Feel free to review these message samples for more information:
I’m afraid I am not at my best,and I won’t be able to come to work today. I’ll let you know when I feel better.
I’m not at my best, so I can’t make it to the office today. Do you mind sending me any work and I’ll complete it at home?
6. I’m Not Feeling Up to Par
We also think it’s good to use “I’m not feeling up to par” instead of “I am not feeling well.”
This is a great way to be informal and friendly with your boss.
It shows that you’ll need to take some time away from work. If your boss is a decent person and you get on well, they’ll be more than happy to let you take some time off to recover.
Again, this is much more effective in a text message than via email. So, try to use it when you need to text your boss the morning before a scheduled shift.
So, check out these text message samples to learn more:
I’m not feeling up to par right now, Michael. I’ll need to take a few days to recover from this.
I’m afraid that I am not feeling up to par. I’ll let you know as soon as I feel better, but I can’t focus on my work right now.
7. I’m Experiencing Some Health Issues
Going back to useful formal alternatives, you can write “I’m experiencing some health issues.”
Now, with this one, you don’t need to elaborate. You never need to specify exactly what’s wrong with you when writing something like this to your boss.
Instead, it simply allows you to show that you’re unwell and need some time away from work.
You can also refer to this email sample:
Dear Miss Browne,
I’m experiencing some health issues that are affecting my work.
Do you mind if I take today off to try and recover?
Yours,
Tommy Lochrane
8. I Am Not Feeling 100%
We also recommend trying “I am not feeling 100%” when texting your boss.
It’s informal and friendly. So, it’s an excellent way to show your boss that you’re going to need some recovery time away from work.
Generally, saying you are not “100%” suggests you’re not fit enough to partake in your normal working day. It’s highly effective and lets your boss know that you’re texting to ask their permission to take time off work.
Feel free to check out these sample text messages if you still need help with it:
I am not feeling 100% right now. So, is it okay if I take today off and get back to work tomorrow?
I can’t come to the office today because I am not feeling 100%. I hope you can understand!
9. I’m Feeling a Bit Unwell
Finally, you can use “I’m feeling a bit unwell.” This is a great one to include in a formal email, as it gets to the point quickly.
It lets your boss know that you’re not fit to work. You can also specify a time frame to give your boss a rough estimate of when you might be ready.
It’s clear and to the point. It also doesn’t use any fancy or informal language to take away from the professional tone, which is why it works well in an email.
You can also review this email sample before you leave:
Dear Miss House,
I’m feeling a bit unwell right now.
I’ll let you know once I’ve recovered and am able to return to work.
Yours,
Michelle Brian