Why I Take Mental Health Days and You Should Too
I take mental health days.
These are days where I take off of work, often when the weather is nice, and I simply take care of myself and do a mental reboot. I check out from others and check in with myself.
I didn’t used to take them because I wanted to accrue and store as much paid time off as I could. I also felt guilty taking off without good reason.
But my philosophy has changed in the past few years, and I believe there is great value in taking days that are just “me time.” Life is short. Five long days in a work week is a lot and sometimes the weekends are just as busy as the week. Before I know it, it’s Sunday night and I haven’t really relaxed.
Not too long ago, I decided that I would regularly take some miscellaneous days and do whatever I want to do that feels right to me… except answer emails or stress myself out. For those of you who think, THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, I used to feel the exact same way until I changed my thoughts and my mindset. I also changed my favorite word: boundaries. I simply decided that I would take a mental health day from time to time and I have stopped feeling guilty about it. To me, it’s just part of my personal self-care routine, like getting enough sleep and brushing my teeth, and I never feel guilty about those things! In order for me to show up as my absolute best as a mom, a wife and a professional, I have to recharge and regroup. I have learned to value and cherish that time and instead of treating it as an indulgence, I consider it part of my health care. Mental health and well-being is huge and as a nation, we still haven’t fully embraced mental health days the way we have with traditional sick days.
I go on vacation when I can, but I also love to take days off and not go anywhere in particular because I simply need a day off. No explanation needed.
Sometimes I splurge and get a pedicure and other days I just relax, make a nice lunch for myself, or exercise in peace without the sound of my 1 year old shrieking in the background. Sometimes like this past week, I take my bike out to my favorite spot and I just feel the sun on my face as I pedal. I don’t even answer my phone. My son is at school and my husband is at work and I am exactly where I need to be as well.
It’s not “playing hooky” or skipping out on my responsibilities. I think it’s actually the opposite. That time off allows me to recharge so that when I return, I am clear headed and in a good headspace. It also reinforces to me that I am a human being and that my identity is so much greater than what I do for a living. My life’s purpose is not my work. My life’s purpose is to live and be happy. Working is necessary and I like my career, but it does not define who I am.
The older I get the more I think about how much time we devote to our careers and to putting others needs first (our kids, spouses, family members). If you work a traditional 9-5 schedule, there isn’t a lot of free time left in the day for yourself. While I try to make those hours really count, I also know that there are only 24 of them and they go by fast.
If you don’t take time off for yourself every so often, you may end up with lots of paid time off, but you may also miss out on the chance to ride your bike and feel the sun on your face.
I choose the second option