How a #1 NYT-Bestselling Author Manages Chronic Pain, Deadlines & a Hulu Deal (ft. Sheila Masterson)

This week on Calling in Sick, #1 NYT-Best Selling author, Sheila Masterson (The Poison Daughter), is back to talk about the ONE thing I think every chronically ill person who has ever tried to build a career, meet a deadline, or show up for their work on a bad pain day desperately needs to hear. Tune in to hear about: 🤕 What a bad migraine day actually looks like for Sheila — the reality of standard narcotics not working, the GI piece, and what Sheila describes as "endurance training for pain" 🏢 Corporate America vs. entrepreneurship with chronic illness — why traditional workplaces are rarely built for disabled employees, and what the trade-offs of self-employment actually look like 📚 Ableism in entertainment — why traditional publishing timelines are inherently ableist, what "crash publishing" costs a chronically ill author, and how Sheila vetted agents and publishers by asking directly how they advocate for disabled clients 🗓️ The project manager approach to chronic illness — how Sheila builds buffer time into every deadline, runs three part-time assistants for seamless cross-coverage, and plans brain-heavy tasks around her hormonal cycle 🥄 Spoon theory in practice — what low-spoon vs. high-spoon tasks actually look like in a writing career, and how to protect your best energy for what matters most ✍️ Unlocking creativity during a flare — dictating voice notes, editing instead of drafting, using audiobooks to get into a receptive headspace without overstimulation 🎬 Adapting TV sets for chronic illness — the quiet rooms, audio relay services, and dynamic scheduling she is building into the Hulu adaptation of The Poison Daughter. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is your number one accommodation or hack that has made building a career with chronic illness more sustainable? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Navigating Chronic Illness & Careers: 00:01:00 What a Bad Migraine Day Looks Like & how Sheila manages them 00:07:40 Corporate America vs. Chronic Illness 00:11:05 Managing Teams & Delegating Tasks with a chronic illness 00:18:00 Stress, Healthcare & Self-Advocacy 00:30:00 Low Spoon vs. High Spoon Tasks 00:32:45 Unlocking Creativity During Bad Flare Days 00:36:40 Adapting TV Sets for Chronic Illness 00:40:40 Disability Representation in the Entertainment World Conclusion: 00:45:00 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Sheila Masterson: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sheilareadsandwrites/?hl=en • Newsletter & Bonus Chapter - https://sheilamasterson.com/ • Buy The Poison Daughter - https://link.amazon/B02AN6S1O ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllness #ChronicMigraine #SheilaMasterson #ThePoisonDaughter #ChronicIllnessEntrepreneur #SpoonieLife #SpoonTheory #ChronicIllnessCareer #InvisibleIllness #ChronicPain #AbleismInPublishing #DisabilityRepresentation #ChronicIllnessBusiness #WorkingWithChronicIllness #EnergyBudgeting #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices