What’s a Mental Health Day?
Lately, it seems like the phrase mental health day is everywhere. As we continue to destigmatize mental health, personal days have risen in popularity. So, what actually is a mental health day?
It’s not as complex as one may think. It’s simply a day off. Its sole purpose is to allow us to relax, reset, and recharge. It’s no secret that our work culture is demanding. And more often than not, we become off balance as a result. A lot of us feel drained at the end of every workweek due to work stress. Once you add familial, romantic, and personal obligations to the mix, a lot of folks are left feeling overwhelmed and burnt out.
The Importance of Mental Health Days
You may be thinking, “I don’t need a day off! I feel fine.” Or, “I’ll just take the weekend to recover.” While both of these statements are likely true, sometimes we don’t even realize we desperately need a mental health day. We could be so engulfed in our work, helping others, or distracted, that we don’t realize we’re not taking care of ourselves. This can manifest in emotional outbursts, lack of patience, or even physical symptoms. There’s also the stigma of guilt and shame around taking a personal day. Taking a day just for yourself? What a concept, right?! Of course, the weekends are a great time to unwind and recharge, but sometimes weekends can become chaotic when you factor in cleaning, shopping, and other obligations.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup
So, why are mental health days important? I like to look at this question with a metaphor. When you’re on an airplane, why does the captain always tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others? It’s because you can’t help anyone if you can’t breathe. We can’t help others until we help ourselves first.
Taking an occasional mental health day is not only important but necessary! We must check in with ourselves to make sure our needs are being met. Are we eating nutritious foods? Moving our bodies? Checking in with our mental health? Going to the doctor and therapist? Taking part in other forms of self-care we enjoy?
A mental health day is a perfect opportunity to become aware of what is lacking in our lives and then subsequently create an action-based plan to get back on track. Taking the necessary steps to improve overall well-being, health, and happiness will help us tackle our responsibilities more effectively.
