A mental health day is a day that an employee takes off from their work to relieve stress and gain more energy before coming back to work.
Some employees are afraid of taking a mental health day because there’s still a stigma that surrounds mental health. Everyone understands if you are sick, but many employers still do not understand the full benefits of a mental health day.
Taking a day off would give you a better fresh start by balancing your mental and physical health. Here are the benefits of considering a mental health Day.
Give Yourself a Break to Do What You Want
Spending your life entirely at work is stressful. Give yourself some fresh air and catch up on some tasks that you have delayed. It can be getting more sleep or taking care of some prolonged chores that are giving you anxiety. Taking care of you is the most important thing.
You’ll be More Productive
At work, there’s a lot of things on our mind. Some of it will never be about work. If our kids are sick at home, it can be hard to focus on our work when they are on our mind.
In this case, you can take care of your kids which will help them feel better the next day. If you had not, your mind would have spent all that time worrying about your kid’s health.
Having a break will give your mind a break to not think about work and focus on your own well-being. When your mind is being given a break, you’re able to relieve some of that pressure. Do something you need to catch up on!
De-Stress
On your mental health day, you can choose to do activities that help relieve that stress. It can be going to the gym to work out or attending a yoga class. It’s a day to relax and do something you haven’t had an opportunity to do in a long time.
How Mental Health Days Benefit Employers
According to the Center for Workplace Mental Health, mental illness and substance abuse annually cost employers an estimated $80 to $100 billion in indirect costs alone. This can include absenteeism, presenteeism, lost productivity, and other health costs.
For those who are unsure about how a mental health day benefits their company, I would ask them if they preferred an employee who is distracted or an employee who is motivated. A day can help relieve some of the pressure they are feeling.
If you need a mental health day, take one. It’s important to take care of yourself once in a while. While your health is important, your mental health is also equally important.
Wen is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach who helped people change their behaviors. He brings experience from educating people about their physical health, nutrition, sexual health, and substance use. As a coach, he has worked with over one hundred clients in changing their tobacco use and had over five hundred conversations as a crisis counselor.
