The Benefits of Taking Mental Health Days
In todays world it’s very easy to get caught up in the day to day of life and the stress that comes with it. We as humans are always on the move, always feeling like we need to be doing something. Eventually over time, that stress can accumulate so much to the point where there’s potential for burnout, which can lead to symptoms of Anxiety and Depression. To avoid this, knowing yourself is key. Understanding when it’s a good time to take a break, when you feel like you need it, and how to go about it with school or work. Most people don’t hesitate to take a sick day when they’re feeling under the weather, but what about mental health? A mental health day consists of taking a break from any responsibilities, work, or school so that you can recharge and fully rest your mind.
How do you know if it’s a good time that you take a mental health day from your job or school? I’d ask yourself these few questions to determine that answer: Am I feeling burnt out from my job or school? Am I mentally and physically exhausted/drained? Could I use a day to just catch up on personal tasks that maybe I’ve been neglecting due to lack of time? There are many benefits to taking mental health days that I will name below:
1. Rest and recharge yourself- stress and burnout can impact your daily life, functioning, and interpersonal relationships. Mental health days can help alleviate those feelings, which in turn will help improve your daily functioning. Taking a day can help you catch up on sleep, complete personal tasks, and just sometimes take a brain break.
2. Help with your work/life balance- when you get caught up in work or school, sometimes you neglect the areas in your life that you enjoy and activities that you love. A mental health day gives you the chance to reconnect with people and activities that you enjoy.
3. Practice self-care- if you’re feeling mentally exhausted or stressed, it’s important to utilize self-care rituals to help alleviate stress. Taking a mental health day gives you time to utilize and practice coping skills – yoga, breathing, meditation, reading, drawing- that you may not have time to engage in daily.
4. Helps increase productivity- if you take the time out of a busy schedule to recharge, the chances of increased motivation are heightened. By giving yourself a day to decompress, you can return to your normal routine feeling recharged and motivated.
Whatever your mental health day looks like for you, it will always be helpful with managing feelings of stress and burnout. Mental health days can look different for everyone- whether its running errands, hanging out with family, or kicking back and relaxing all day. The primary goal is to enjoy yourself and focus on recovering from any stress from daily life. A mental health day won’t cure anxiety or depression- but it can help manage your symptoms that’s caused by demanding obligations of everyday life. Now ask yourself: is it time that I could use a break from all responsibilities?