How To Take An Effective Mental Health Day
When Did You Last Take A Mental Health Day Off?
Poor mental health is incredibly common. Depression alone has been described as the "common cold" of psychiatry, affecting millions of people worldwide. Despite how widespread mental health challenges are, how often do we allow ourselves to take a mental health day from work?
Maybe you took one recently, or perhaps it’s been a while—maybe never. Perhaps there's a small voice in your head that doubts whether you deserve a mental health day. Maybe you worry about letting others down. That voice may have been helpful for your productivity and commitment to others, but today, self-compassion is in charge.
You are important. You need rest, and we’re here to help you get it. Here are five simple steps to get you started:
Book an appointment with your GP
Schedule an appointment with your GP and ask them for a sick certificate. From my experience, every doctor I’ve seen has supported taking mental health days.
Let your manager know you’re taking time off
Depending on your relationship with them, you can share that it’s for your mental health. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing the specifics, simply say you're unwell. Mental illness is a real illness.
Be thoughtful about how you’ll spend your time
Prioritise rest. Whether that means sleeping in, taking an afternoon nap, or spending a few hours on the couch watching Netflix, do it—you need and deserve it.
Schedule something nice for yourself
You’ve already shown self-care by taking the day off, so keep up the good work and treat yourself! Go for a massage, a little shopping, visit a gallery, enjoy a nice croissant—anything you want. This is your day.
Call a close friend or family member
Give a close friend or family member a buzz to let them know you’ve taken a day off work for your mental health. A healthy dose of support from loved ones will help you start to feel better. Who knows, you might even inspire them to do the same.
At SisterTalk, we teach you how to balance negative self-talk with self-compassion. Learning new ways to navigate your thoughts and actions can be challenging, but we have proven strategies and a supportive community to get you started. Check out our courses here.
