Take the day off (mental health day)

 

Feeling burnt out is something everyone has experienced before. It is an extremely hard feeling to overcome. When you feel sick, it is acceptable to take a break. Mental health days are not acceptable in the work or school environment. Mental health is just as important as physical health. I am a full-time college student with a full-time job. I go to school all week, work two days during that week and then work the entire weekend. It is extremely difficult to balance all of that with homework, friends and personal time. 

I am from Alaska and go to school in North Dakota. I typically only go home twice a year and live in my college town during the summer. I get incredibly homesick and tend to miss my family. This week was very hard for me due to the fact that I had a ton of homework and a busy work schedule. My boss was in town, and we had to do a variety of training, therefore I was working overtime. I woke up this morning and I felt as if I could not get out of bed. 

I decided to take a much-needed mental health day and I want to tell you what I did today. First of all, I allowed myself to lay in bed as long as I needed, which was until 12:00 o'clock. I got up and I got myself a coffee and lunch. I watched some TV and then I decided to go on a walk outside to get some sun and air. Then I called my mother to catch up. Typically, I would usually feel guilty for not having a productive day. We are shamed for feeling burnt out, we are told in any area of life, if you want to succeed you have to work every single day. I am here to tell you that that is not true. If you want to succeed in any area of life, you always need to prioritize yourself and your mental and physical needs. You will always be more useful and productive if you feel motivated. There is no shame in needing a day off, that's quite literally why weekends were invented. Our bodies need rest, so our mind keeps working.

The only way to stay creative and productive and prevent burnout is to rest then try again later. Sometimes it's very difficult to let yourself rest and relax when you know you have stuff to do. You have to remember that you will be more productive and have better quality of work if you rest. I think school and work should allow mental health breaks. You should be allowed to take time off and not have to give a reason why. Unfortunately, most work environments require a reason for time off so I will give you some reasons without having to lie. Simply say, “I am not feeling well”, it’s the truth. Mentally you are not feeling well, therefore you need a day off. So, if you need a mental health day don’t be ashamed to take a day off. 

Mental Health Days: Definition, Importance, and How To | Indeed.com Canada