50 Reasons to Not Turn Up to Work
Sometimes you just can’t make it to work — and that’s okay.
Life happens.
Emergencies pop up.
Mental health matters.
Today, I’m diving deep into 100 reasons to call off work —
whether real, fake, funny, serious, or just plain relatable.
Read our top articles:
You’ll find yourself nodding, laughing, and maybe even bookmarking this for a rainy day when you just can’t face the office.
Have you ever thought: “I need a break… but what do I say?”
You’re not alone!
📋 100 Real, Funny, and Creative Reasons to Call Off Work
Health-Related Reasons
1️⃣ Caught a bad cold
2️⃣ Fever spiking high
3️⃣ Food poisoning from last night’s dinner
4️⃣ Migraines making it impossible to focus
5️⃣ Sprained ankle from a clumsy fall
6️⃣ Pink eye (very contagious!)
7️⃣ Dental emergency
8️⃣ Broken tooth needs fixing ASAP
9️⃣ Sudden allergy flare-up
🔟 Back pain acting up
Mental Health Reasons
1️⃣1️⃣ Severe anxiety attack
1️⃣2️⃣ Overwhelming depression
1️⃣3️⃣ Panic attacks that need calming
1️⃣4️⃣ Need a mental health day to recharge
1️⃣5️⃣ Therapy appointment scheduled
1️⃣6️⃣ Burnout reaching critical levels
1️⃣7️⃣ Grieving a loss
1️⃣8️⃣ PTSD triggers resurfacing
1️⃣9️⃣ Severe insomnia aftermath
2️⃣0️⃣ Self-care day urgently needed
Family Emergencies
2️⃣1️⃣ Child suddenly fell ill
2️⃣2️⃣ Parent rushed to hospital
2️⃣3️⃣ Partner got into a minor accident
2️⃣4️⃣ Sibling needs urgent help
2️⃣5️⃣ Emergency babysitting duties
2️⃣6️⃣ Childcare canceled last-minute
2️⃣7️⃣ Grandparent’s sudden health scare
2️⃣8️⃣ Family pet needs to go to the vet
2️⃣9️⃣ Domestic dispute needs resolution
3️⃣0️⃣ Elderly parent’s caregiver canceled
Transportation Issues
3️⃣1️⃣ Car broke down
3️⃣2️⃣ Flat tire with no backup
3️⃣3️⃣ Missed the bus/train
3️⃣4️⃣ Ride canceled unexpectedly
3️⃣5️⃣ Car accident, even minor, needs dealing with
3️⃣6️⃣ Public transportation strike
3️⃣7️⃣ Snowstorm made roads impassable
3️⃣8️⃣ Uber/Lyft apps not working
3️⃣9️⃣ Biking accident
4️⃣0️⃣ Oil leak emergency
Household Disasters
4️⃣1️⃣ Burst water pipe flooding the house
4️⃣2️⃣ Power outage overnight
4️⃣3️⃣ Heating system failure in winter
4️⃣4️⃣ AC breakdown in a heatwave
4️⃣5️⃣ Locking yourself out of the house
4️⃣6️⃣ Fire alarm malfunction
4️⃣7️⃣ Gas leak emergency
4️⃣8️⃣ Pest infestation (yuck!)
4️⃣9️⃣ Major appliance repair needed immediately
5️⃣0️⃣ Roof leak after a storm
Personal Appointments
5️⃣1️⃣ Doctor’s appointment you can’t reschedule
5️⃣2️⃣ Dentist cleaning you forgot about
5️⃣3️⃣ Legal appointment (court appearance)
5️⃣4️⃣ Urgent bank meeting
5️⃣5️⃣ Passport or ID renewal
5️⃣6️⃣ Visa appointment
5️⃣7️⃣ Child’s school meeting
5️⃣8️⃣ Parent-teacher conference
5️⃣9️⃣ Interview for another job (shh!)
6️⃣0️⃣ Blood donation appointment
Miscellaneous Life Happens Moments
6️⃣1️⃣ Best friend’s crisis needs support
6️⃣2️⃣ Neighbor’s emergency needing help
6️⃣3️⃣ Unexpected allergic reaction
6️⃣4️⃣ Pet swallowed something dangerous
6️⃣5️⃣ Lost wallet — need to cancel cards
6️⃣6️⃣ Moving day miscalculation
6️⃣7️⃣ Funeral attendance
6️⃣8️⃣ Locked keys inside running car
6️⃣9️⃣ Someone crashed into your parked car
7️⃣0️⃣ Freak accident at home (burn, cut, fall)
Weather Woes
7️⃣1️⃣ Flash flood warning
7️⃣2️⃣ Tornado watch in your area
7️⃣3️⃣ Wildfire evacuation orders
7️⃣4️⃣ Blizzards closing roads
7️⃣5️⃣ Severe thunderstorms
7️⃣6️⃣ Hailstorm damage
7️⃣7️⃣ Black ice everywhere
7️⃣8️⃣ Hurricane evacuation
7️⃣9️⃣ Extreme heat advisory
8️⃣0️⃣ Landslide blocking commute
Funny and Fake Reasons (for a Giggle)
8️⃣1️⃣ Got abducted by aliens overnight
8️⃣2️⃣ Pet snake is missing (and very angry)
8️⃣3️⃣ Woke up thinking it was Saturday
8️⃣4️⃣ Locked inside your own bathroom
8️⃣5️⃣ Allergic to your new work shoes
8️⃣6️⃣ Cat sat on your car keys and hid them
8️⃣7️⃣ Suddenly convinced you’re invisible
8️⃣8️⃣ Spontaneous trip to “find yourself”
8️⃣9️⃣ Baby goat stormed your yard and won’t leave
9️⃣0️⃣ Hair dye disaster (turned bright green)
Completely Honest Reasons
9️⃣1️⃣ Overwhelmed and can’t function
9️⃣2️⃣ Need a full day to catch up on personal errands
9️⃣3️⃣ Can’t mentally handle another Zoom meeting
9️⃣4️⃣ Need time to study for a certification
9️⃣5️⃣ Need a break to avoid burnout meltdown
9️⃣6️⃣ Feel physically unsafe traveling today
9️⃣7️⃣ Need to spend time with an aging loved one
9️⃣8️⃣ Handling important personal paperwork
9️⃣9️⃣ Cleaning up after minor home flooding
🔟🔟 Need time to mentally reset after a traumatic event
Why Knowing These 100 Reasons to Call Off Work Matters
Having 100 reasons to call off work at your fingertips isn’t about being lazy.
It’s about recognizing that we are human beings — not machines.
Some days, life just doesn’t cooperate with our schedules.
Other days, our own well-being demands that we step back.
Work is important — but so is health, family, mental stability, and humor.
When you honor your needs (with real, respectful communication to your employer),
you become a better worker in the long run — healthier, more present, and more engaged.
And sometimes,
you just need to have a little fun and tell your boss that you’ve been abducted by a UFO.
(They might even laugh, too.)
Calling Off Work Is Sometimes the Best Choice
Going through 100 reasons to call off work made me realize something powerful:
Life isn’t perfect — and pretending it is, only leads to bigger problems later.
Some days, calling out is the healthiest, wisest move you can make.
Other days, a fake excuse might save your sanity.
And honestly? That’s okay.
If you need to call off, do it with honesty, respect, and a little humor if appropriate.
Life will keep moving.
Work will still be there tomorrow.
And you’ll come back stronger, healthier, and more human because you listened to what you needed in the moment.
So, next time you feel that tug to stay home —
remember, you have at least 100 reasons to call off work in your pocket.
