We all have our “good” days and our “bad” days. Or we just have our “days.” Some days we’re just breathing, and some days we’re living. Either way, whichever way we have it, it is important to take mental health days. A mental health day may be more than needed after a long exhausting stressful day of work, school, or interacting. But it is also needed after a big victory, raise, promotion, win, or even a simple “good” day. Mental health days allow us to take alone time, reflect upon ourselves, enjoy our space, and recharge our battery. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, we all have a social battery. A social battery is the amount of stimulation we can take from being around others. For introverts, it may be only 30 minutes to an hour. For extroverts, it may very well last up to 8 to 12 hours before they’re even the least bit tired. Despite the difference in “battery life,” we all need a time and day to recharge, relax, and be ourselves in solitude. This is why mental health days are crucial.
The Cleveland Clinic notes that the number sign of needing a mental health day is burnout. Burnout can look different on every person. It may appear as feeling physically sick, feeling exhausted, constantly feeling anxious, irritability and quick temper, lack of self-care such as exercise and nutrition, cynicism, lack of motivation or focus, withdraw from things that used to be fun and meaningful, and feeling detached from both work and others (Cleveland Clinic). These symptoms call for a mental health day. But what does taking a mental health day look like? Taking a mental health day may look like doing the laundry, running errands, catching up with a family member or an old friends, walking the dog, binge-watching your favorite show, doing yoga, going to the spa, or even going on a road trip with no destination. These already sound relaxing through a screen. Even if it is just a few hours, eight hours, or maybe the whole day it is good to take a mental health day with no shame and other obligations on our mind. Prioritizing our mental health should be placed at the top of our list as our physical and emotional health closely follows what our mind can handle.
When you or someone you care for begins to approach burnout, remember that taking a mental health day is completely justified and even necessary for us to act as functional human beings.