25 Creative Get Well Gift Ideas for Coworkers

Personalized sweet treats, such as brownies, are a fun way to take someone’s mind off the predicament of an illness.

Fish in an aquarium can be an incredibly soothing presence, and so are the beautiful fish swimming on this flannel, anti-pilling blanket. Sometimes adults, too, need comfort blankets.

This tote bag with coral reef fish and animals will brighten up someone’s day if it meets a person with a flair for the natural world, color, and art.

These quirky psychedelic leggings come in six sizes and have a high (12%) spandex content, which ensures that they won’t lose share over time, and also that they will fit great. The design is a burst of happy colors, with two stars coming together at the back.

These art socks are made of 80% cotton, 15% acrylic, and 5% spandex. They fit men’s sizes 5-10 and women’s 6-11. They’re comfortable, lightweight, and wick away moisture.

What comes between a smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc. and a great movie experience, even inside a hospital room, is a portable projector. It comes at a fraction of the cost of other such devices while still having an average customer rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, and it’s a great thing to have after the hospital stay as well.

If you’re looking for more affordable fun and useful gifts for a coworker, how about a portable smartphone fan? The one I’m showing is an Amazon Customer’s Choice^TM product, sturdy enough not to shut off after a few minutes, unlike some other similar phone fans of lesser quality.

This beautiful bracelet from Billie Bijoux comes in .925 sterling silver and maintains its shine even after months of wearing. It’s rather thin but according to most reviews on Amazon it’s quite durable despite its looks. Would make a great gift towards a coworker who has turned more to his or her religion in difficult times, as the 8 shape symbolizes infinity, eternity. It can also stand in for eternal love, whether romantic or friendly, so keep that in mind as well when purchasing it.

I have yet to find someone who doesn’t love macarons. They were all the rage a few years ago, but they still make a great gift, especially for someone who is struggling with hospital food.

Sometimes during a patch of illness it helps to find motivation to change your life around. A type 2 diabetic, for instance, might look for ways to reverse his or her diabetes – which is possible with a lifestyle turnaround. Or someone might decide to leave a stressful corporate job and turn a hobby like painting into a profession.

These posters with the Serenity Prayer are for people who embrace change in order to explore their potential and make more of themselves – which we can all do if we shake things up a bit now and then and go beyond our comfort zones. And sometimes illness can be a great catalyst for new and better things in our lives.

Sometimes change takes place more easily if we truly pay attention to our friends and learn from them. Or if we make new friends, like this sheep with the acacia-eating giraffe. The grass-munching sheep ended up looking higher up for inspiration and nourishment – not a bad thing.

Sometimes writers are born, but more often than not they are made. And people who reassess their priorities after a bout of ill health may decide to spend some time honing their writing skills in order to share their story or recovery, or to explore in writing more of their feelings and thoughts. This T-shirt is a way for them to celebrate not only inspirational stories but also fun and snark. As is the second tee I’m showing here, with the anti-inspirational slogan “Life is more complicated than single-minded statements.”

Here’s what I mean:

1. “Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” Apparently it’s an Emerson quote. Even so, in adulthood life rarely works this way. We are constantly pushed by our problems even as we are led by our dreams. And sometimes we are confused by our dreams, which leads to even more problems :)
2. “If your goals set you apart from the crowd, stay alone.” I don’t know who said this one originally, but really, how can you stay alone? With the exception of hermits who are extraordinarily endowed for solitude whether to commune with God or run away from God, few people can flourish alone. There’s an old proverb that says that “a man, alone, is either a saint or a devil.”
3. “Never tell anyone your plans. Show them your results instead.” Again, really? How can anyone accomplish something remarkable completely on his or her own? Not a very realistic statement. Of course, it works with some situations and ideas, but as a general recommendation for life? No, I don’t think so. Especially with that “never” in there. Life is way more complicated and oftentimes we would be or go nowhere if we don’t share our plans with others.

If your coworker loves to garden, he or she may appreciate a throw pillow with a beautiful rose. There are plenty of designs to choose from on Zazzle. (Here's one.)

Or you can choose a throw pillow that you can personalize with the name of your coworker. Here’s one with faux glitter and another one with glitter and customized monogram and name.

Sometimes going on a trip is a must after dealing with illness, even if you’re weak and tired. Here are two funny luggage tags to get your friend in the mood for planning a trip.

This stainless steel inspirational bracelet is a fun budget gift to a coworker who has come out of a rough patch. “Keep going you got this” is a sanitized version of LParkin’s more popular bracelets with the quote “keep f* going.” If you click on the image below you’ll find versions of those as well.

A funny inspirational poster based on the Latin phrase “Carpe diem,” usually translated as “Seize the Day.”

I hope you've found one or more gifts you like.