Who among us hasn’t felt burnout at one time or other, that feeling of being so stressed out or utterly exhausted that we ceased to be productive at work. We struggled to focus, lacked motivation, felt irritable and just down.
If you have hit one of those bouts, don’t try to push through it – especially if you sense your mental health is being affected. Instead, if you feel overwhelmed with feelings of burnout or stress it is definitely time to plan a mental health day.
What is a Mental Health Day?
A mental health day is simply a day you take off from work that allows you to regroup, de-stress, and reflect. Taking a day off to tend to your mental health can be incredibly beneficial, as it acts as a kind of respite, a chance to recharge and reclaim your positive mindset.
While some companies provide employees with mental health day benefits, unfortunately most do not. If your employer doesn’t offer mental health days, you’d simply arrange to take a sick day or use some of your paid time off. There is no need to divulge the reason for your request unless you wish to open up a conversation with your employer about your mental health.
Why Take a Mental Health Day?
It may come as a surprise that our mental health is more fragile than we think. Any combination of demands we face in daily life, whether they relate to work, parenting, a serious illness, or caring for aging parents, has the ability to pile up and push us beyond our capacity to cope.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and can see the signs of burnout on the horizon, taking a mental health day may be just what you need. In doing so, you are sending a message to yourself that you are valued and worthy of some much needed tender loving self-care.
Consider these benefits of taking a mental health day:
- You return to work rested and recharged
- You switch your mindset from negative to positive
- You address your need for striking a work-life balance
- You reflect on what is causing the burnout and come up with solutions
6 Mental Health Day Tips
To make the most of your mental health day, follow these helpful tips:
- Do not overschedule your day. Trying to squeeze in too many things will only cause more stress. To maximize the benefits of your mental health day, keep your day fairly unstructured.
- Unplug. Taking a break from your phone on your mental health day is absolutely essential. Commit to a solid day with no social media, email, or text distractions and enjoy the quiet time.
- Pamper yourself. Indulge in some self-care treats, like scheduling a relaxing massage, a facial, or a deluxe mani-pedi.
- Connect with nature. If weather permits, spend some time in the great outdoors. Take a nature hike or a bike ride, or just find a quiet spot outdoors to start that book you’ve wanted to read.
- Enrich your day. If your usual schedule doesn’t have much room for your passions, rekindle them on your special day. Visit an art gallery, listen to your favorite music, draw, paint, or take photographs.
- Be lazy. Allow yourself to be utterly unproductive for a whole day if you want. Ignore the housework and errands and instead spend the day watching movies, napping reading, journaling, and even enjoying some comfort foods.
When the pressures of life become overwhelming, it just makes sense to take a day off to refocus on your mental wellbeing. So, isn’t it time you start planning your mental health day?
