Many people do not consider the importance of taking mental health days from time to time. Just as you would take a sick day when you have a migraine or the flu, so should you take a mental health day when you are really feeling overwhelmed, sluggish, and not yourself. There is no shame in admitting that you just need some quiet time to recharge. The sick days you accrue at work are there for you to take when you are not feeling 100%. No, feeling mentally drained is not contagious, like when you have COVID, the flu, or conjunctivitis, but the effect on your body can be just as detrimental. There are reasons to take a mental health day and I will describe them in this post.
Here is an example…you have been working for several weeks on a big project for work. All your time and energy have gone into accomplishing the goal of completing the project. In the process, you have skipped lunch breaks, worked late, and are not sleeping well. How does your body feel? Are you able to concentrate on all the other things you need to get done in your day-to-day life? Maybe in addition to not sleeping well you are getting frequent headaches and your appetite is off (either eating too much junk or not hungry). These can be signs that your body needs a recharge.
See the following 5 reasons to take a mental health day:
1. Feeling Overwhelmed
If you are feeling overwhelmed by all you need to get done are you able to work at 100%? The Indeed website offers some great tips for what to do when you are feeling overwhelmed at work https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/overwhelmed-at-work. We all have times when we just feel like we don’t have enough energy to get everything done. Believe it or not, this is a great reason to take a mental health day! Having 8 hours to rest and enjoy some quiet will do wonders for your ability to be more productive when you return to work.
2. Having Physical Symptoms
Are you beginning to have headaches, stomach aches, insomnia, and other physical symptoms that are not related to a medical cause? If you take a moment to look at when these symptoms began you may find that they started in the midst of higher work stress. According to the Mayo Clinic (2021), some common symptoms related to stress are: “headache, muscle tension, chest pain, fatigue, loss of sex drive, insomnia, overeating or under-eating, anger, and stomach upset” (para 3). If you are experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis they can turn into chronic stress which can have negative long-term effects on your body.
3. Emotional Outbursts
When you begin to have emotional outbursts at work this is a big sign that you are feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and just need a break. Like all people, there will be days when you can handle just about anything that comes your way, and then there will come the day when you are grumpy and angry from the moment you arrive at work. The employee you normally get along with rubs you the wrong way simply by asking a question before you have a chance to take off your coat, or you realize you left your lunch sitting on your kitchen counter. Small things that you can handle when you are feeling energetic. Big things when your internal battery is blinking “low battery.”
4. You Don’t Remember the Last Time you had a day Off
If you have been working non-stop and cannot even remember the last time you took a day off, then it just might mean you need a mental health day. Yes, it is great to have a job, especially during these uncertain economic times, but that does not mean that you have to be married to your job. Life is short. Remember to enjoy the journey. This is hard to do if you are always at work and never spending time doing other things.
5. Arguments at Home
Have you noticed that at home you are arguing with everyone in the family? Do you just feel irritated with everyone and everything? Then you probably need to spend some quality time on YOU. This is another great example of a reason to take a mental health day! Plan some kind of physical activity, maybe do some meditation or yoga, and sweat out the bad mojo so that your body can invite in the good. Only if we take care of ourselves can we truly give our all at work, at home, and to those around us.
For other ideas about reducing stress and being more productive please leave me a comment with your questions. I love to hear from you!
Sources:
Mayo Clinic. (2021). Stress Management. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
