by Miranda
“Friendly reminder that ‘doing your best’ does not mean working yourself to the point of a mental breakdown.” ~ Anonymous
Ever feel like you need a break? We get that feeling daily. Either you’re on your last nerve or last shot of energy. Have used up all the coffee in the vicinity. Drowned yourself in all the ice cream in frozen foods aisle. Not you? Perhaps you have chronic headaches? Irritability or lack of drive? A desire to pack up all your belongings and escape? Is this you yet?
Maybe I haven’t touched on what is weighing you down and pressing you to take a break. Perhaps you don’t even know what is draining you, but a good way to start is by taking a mental health day. We push ourselves beyond our limit, sometimes thinking it’s okay and it will work out for the long run. But the bottom line is that you’re doing more harm than good and can’t recognize you need to step back and breathe. It is after taking a mental health day, that we become aware of the things draining us and refresh our minds.
Just like we get stomach aches and sore muscles, our minds get worn out from every day use, to the point where a 15-minute snack break won’t do it. Just like we nurse our upset stomachs and sore muscles, we have to take time and nurse our minds back to healthy standing. And a great way to do that is taking a mental health day.
Now, I’m not saying skip work. Go to work, but don’t work yourself down to the bone. Mental health days are great for a recharge. To set things back in perspective. Cool off before you meltdown.
Not convinced to take a mental health day yet? Here are three reasons you should.
De-Stress
Stress is a killer—literally. Getting “comfortable” with it leads to the onset of chronic stress, which will lead to more illness. Gradually, physical ailments start to plague the body (weight gain, increased blood pressure, etc.) and in direr situations, mental ailments (anxiety disorders, panic attacks, etc.) start to set in. Kill the stress and avoid sickness, by taking a day to yourself. Put your mind at ease, and nurture your mind with healthy and non-strenuous activity.
Reinvigorate
Completely drained, you can’t get any work done. You do no one any favors clocking in on 8 %. You’ll be out in 12 minutes. Revive your creativity. Get more focused on the job. Whether it is letting the creative juices flow, or allowing workflows to process, mental health days are more beneficial in the long run for everyone.
Stay Balanced
Balance is the key to a holistic life style. When work life and personal life get out of balance, things tend to go up in flames. Sooner or later one will give. Gain new perspectives, refresh your mind, and assess your lifestyle. Take a break and comeback. If you don’t take time to care for yourself, the lack of balance will be detrimental to both work and home.
There are plenty more reasons to take a mental health day. …you need a break. … your heart’s not in your work anymore. …to avoid murder. Remember when you take your mental health day, the day is for you, not anyone else. Do what will improve your mental state.
Do what will make you happy.
Modestly Miranda 