I still have the impulse to immediately explain why I'm taking a day off, even when I'm actually sick. The sickness isn't the problem; it's the anticipated interrogation, the pre-emptive defense against accusations of laziness. I picture the skeptical faces, the implication that I'm not truly "earning" my rest. It's easier to just push through until I collapse. The problem with over-explaining is that it invites scrutiny. I learned the hard way that 'less is more' when it comes to personal details at work; every justification becomes ammunition later on.