8 Reasons Why You Should Take a Mental Health Day STAT

August 5, 2019

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If you’re like most people out there, you probably refuse to take a day off from work unless an illness forcibly keeps you home.

While you should never neglect your physical health, there are other days when you may not necessarily feel under the weather. Rather, you feel mentally exhausted, and psychologically strained.

Sound familiar?

When we feel this way, we shouldn’t ignore it. We may look and even feel fine to an extent, but there’s no denying that there are just days where the stress hits us.

When this happens, it’s important to take a mental health day. However, taking a mental health day off is easier said than done.

For a lot of us, there’s a sense of guilt when it comes to taking a mental health day off. After all, if you look and feel fine otherwise, is a day off really necessary? Shouldn’t you just keep working?

You should never feel guilty for taking a mental health day. In fact, your psychological health is just as important as your physical health, and when you compromise one, you’ll likely compromise the other.

Mental illness is far more common that you may realize. Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 adults experiences mental illness in a given year?

Think of it this way. If you had a relatively serious illness like the flu, strep throat, or a virus, you would likely stay home to take care of your physical health. Why wouldn’t you do the same for your psychological health? Just because it’s not contagious doesn’t mean it’s not worth your attention.

If you’re still wondering whether you should really take a mental health day, here are 8 reasons why you need one ASAP.

8 Reasons Why You Need a Mental Health Day

1. You can’t remember the last time you took time just for yourself. It may be the last time you took time off was to help an ill family member out, or to take your child to a doctor’s appointment, or to move to a new apartment or house. But when was the last time you took time off just for you and you alone? You don’t need to be physically ill to need a mental health day. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

2. Your anxiety has consistently been at an all-time high. If you’ve been dealing with intense anxiety lately and consistently, now is a good time to take a mental health day. If you continue to ignore your anxiety or look for ‘quick-fixes,’ it will only worsen, and can even morph into a full-blown anxiety attack. Don’t let this happen, and take some time to yourself to cool your nerves. Go to a yoga and meditation class, spend some time with a loved one, or maybe even get a massage. Any relaxing activity that will help to reduce your anxiety is a good way to spend a mental health day.

3. You’ve neglected caring for yourself. For a lot of us, taking a mental health day is difficult, and we may often feel guilty for even thinking about asking our boss for one. This may mean that we neglect our mental health and ultimately ourselves. However, you should never feel guilty for wanting to take care of yourself. It may be that you’ve been putting off your annual check-up or teeth cleaning, or seeing your chiropractor, or even getting your haircut. The point is, you should never put off taking care of yourself. If you can’t take care of you, you can’t take care of others. Take a mental health day to reprioritize yourself and your needs.

4. You’re mentally drained. Mental exhaustion is real, and typically leads to mental burnout if not addressed. One way to avoid this, however, is to take a mental health day and give yourself the break you need. It may be that you just need a day to sleep in and rest, to have some quiet time and read, or to just not think about work.

5. Your fuse is incredibly short. Have you been feeling on the verge of exploding over even the smallest of things? This is a solid reason to take a mental health day so that you can relax and reduce any tension you’re feeling. You’ll be surprised by how much better you feel when you’ve given yourself the chance to unwind and decompress.

6. You’re having difficulty connecting with others. You may be surrounded by other people at work or at home, but lately you feel more isolated than ever. It isn’t unusual to feel lonely while managing the demands of everyday life, but sometimes it can push us even farther into withdrawal – even from friends and family. If you’ve been feeling this way lately, this is a good opportunity to take a mental health day. Find ways to reconnect not only with those you love, but also with yourself.

7. You can’t focus. Have you been feeling a sense of free-floating anxiety to the point where you just can’t focus no matter how hard you try? While this may just seem like something you’ve got to ‘work through,’ this inability to focus can quickly lead to careless mistakes and likely even higher stress levels. Taking a mental health day and giving yourself the break you need will actually help you to gain clarity and more focus.

8. You’re having a hard time finding things to look forward to. Have you been feeling down in the dumps for some time now? Maybe there’s drama at work, or perhaps you’re having some personal challenges at home. Whatever is causing you to feel consistently down, this is reason enough to take a mental health day. A rejuvenating day outside of the office could be just what you need to refresh and reboot. Maybe visit a museum or two, or go see a funny movie. Do something that you find both fun and relaxing to lift your spirits and brighten your outlook.

XOXO