How To: Take A Mental Health Day
- aghollifield6535
- Oct 19, 2019
- 3 min read
How To: Take A Mental Health Day
It may seem far fetched, but taking a mental health day is actually extremely beneficial and can relieve the stress that work and school so easily puts onto us. You may think to yourself, “I can’t just take a day off to sit around and pout.”, and you would be correct. That is NOT what a Mental Health Day is. When we are overcome with stress, it affects the quality of the work we do. So when you do decide to take a day off to focus on your mental health, it shouldn’t be used to give into your bad habits such as over eating or binging a Netflix series until you fall into a self induced coma. When you take a mental health day, you should do tasks that are productive to your brain and body. So… what is a mental health day and how should I use my own?
What IS a Mental Health Day?
In short, a mental health day is a day that an employee or student takes off to focus on his/her health. Specialists tell people to view a mental health day the same way you would view a sick day. We aren’t expected to go into work when are bodies aren’t working properly, so our minds should be viewed the same way. If our minds aren’t working as well as they should be, then our work will be below average. Even though doctors recommend we take that day off when we need too, there is still a stigma around those who choose to take it. It is perceived as “lazy” and “wasteful”. An Australian study found that one-third of workers still choose to fake an illness when they take a day off over fear of losing their jobs or being told they can’t take the day off. However this isn’t necessarily an irrational fear. 26% of employers choose to fire their workers for taking a mental health day because they view it as taking a “personal day”. If you do decide that taking a mental health day is beneficial to you, keep in mind who your employer is and choose to take it at a time that isn’t going to affect the rest of the work space and/or your grades.
In the end, you know if you need to take a day off or not. You are you. You know yourself best. If your symptoms are seriously impacting the quality of work you are putting out, then perhaps a day off is the way to go.
How Should I Spend My Mental Health Day?
I, of all people, know how easy it is to take a day off and waste it away sleeping, eating, and watching TV. I will admit that before I graduated, I took a lot of days off (and calling them mental health days) and did nothing except waste it. I thought I was helping myself, but in the end I made it worse. It was almost as if I was rewarding myself for not doing better. Don’t get me wrong. It’s okay to sleep in a little bit. It’s okay to take your day off and relax. However, you shouldn’t use the entirety of your 24 hours that way. Try and at least knock out one box from your bullet list of things you need to get done. Perhaps find a friend or a family member that you like to spend time with and spend the day with them. People boost us up! I like to believe that people helping people is the best way to start your path towards a healthier mindset. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t be afraid to lend a hand when you see someone else is struggling. You should also find some ways to get some laughter out of you. Laughter is so good for the mind! Maybe watch a Kevin Hart special or a Jack Black movie! Try and go outside and do some outdoor exercising! Although fitness seems like the last thing you want to do… it’s actually extremely helpful! When your body feels good, everything else starts to feel good as well. If you choose to get some exercise in, try and be outside when you do it. Breathe in the fresh air and remember how beautiful life is. If you are feeling tired, don’t feel bad for sleeping in a bit. Just try not to sleep the whole day away.
Once again, you are the only one who truly knows what you need and when you need it. Take your day off whenever you feel the need too and spend it the way you know is beneficial to you.
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