Prioritizing Wellness: The Crucial Role of Mental Health Days

Have you ever felt that you are becoming less productive in your work or school environment? Perhaps the stress of your assignments or time deadlines is making you feel like your mind is less clear and you are unable to make the best decisions. Or perhaps you are just overwhelmed by the balance of your personal and workplace life. If so, it may be time for you to consider a Mental Health Day to help you rebalance yourself to become better functioning. 

What, might you ask, is a Mental Health Day? This is a day when you seek to step away from your everyday responsibilities and commitments to recharge and reset your time, emotions, and feelings. It is a day when you prioritize yourself and your needs instead of the needs of others.This day creates an opportunity to reduce stress and help to overcome burnout. 

Why should you seek a Mental Health Day? Your physical and emotional well being is critical to you being able to do your job, complete your schoolwork, or be a positive presence in your family and relationships. If you are under stress, you might find yourself more irritable and less patient, negatively impacting your personal and work relationships. Physical impacts may be increased susceptibility to sickness, digestive issues, and inconsistent sleep patterns. Without a break, these symptoms may increase and the impacts intensify. By taking a Mental Health Day you may be able to interrupt this cyclical pattern, recharging energy, gaining new perspectives, and perhaps even increasing motivation.  

What should you do on a Mental Health Day? That depends on you. It is best if you think about the day as a time to move away from your regular activities. Here are some ideas:

Unplug-It is best to unplug and take time without the constant connection that comes with social media and emails. These ever changing posts bombard us with information so it is difficult to let your brain rest and your body breathe.

Get outside- It might help to get outside and enjoy nearby nature. This can provide a calm presence which lowers the brain's cortisol, allowing you to relax. You can also garden if your space allows. Connecting with the earth creates calm.  

Move- Getting exercise, even just walking, can raise your brain’s serotonin and endorphin levels.This will help improve your mood and increase your concentration.

Meditate- Slow down and work on deep breathing or other calming activities. This will again help you recharge your body and your mind, relieving stress and improving your outlook.

Be creative- Taking time to listen to music, paint, draw, or write can help create a focus outside of the forces in your everyday life. This will move your mind and spirit away from the constant pulses of work or school. 

Find things that bring you joy-Perhaps a massage is in order. A visit with a friend or loved one. There is no one prescription that encompasses all possibilities.The goal is to find activities, time, and space that will allow you to gain a greater perspective on your day-to-day life. With this time away, you will hopefully find that you can re-engage with your everyday responsibilities with greater joy and energy.

You might be asking how you approach your job and employer for a Mental Health Day. You’ll need to explore your workplace’s policies about time off and whether a day specifically devoted to mental health is available. While more and more workplaces do recognize mental health days, not all of them provide for this in their benefits. If a Mental Health Day is not available in your space, a vacation day to recharge may be in order. Just pushing through without a break can lead to a negative spiral that is more difficult to unwind. 

If you take a Mental Health Day it is important to try to build on the recharge you started and put some stress relievers into your regular routine. Long-term strategies include scheduling time for exercise, visits with friends, creative pursuits and continuing to plan down time when unplugging occurs. Perhaps incorporating something like journaling or meditating for a small segment of time daily or weekly will be more to your liking. Whatever your choice, you will want to capitalize on the renewed energy from your day devoted to yourself.

If taking a Mental Health Day does not seem to be enough, it’s time to seek professional support. Anxiety and stress from work can build up and create ongoing personal and physical issues. This is particularly true if the feelings extend for months at a time. As a therapist, my clients have often found they are able to help pinpoint specific mental health strategies as well as rethink the pressures in life with my counseling support. I’d love to help you reframe your stress points and gain perspective so you can better manage stress and have a happier and more productive life.