Feeling drained? 5 tips for taking a mental health day to refresh and rejuvenate

Taking a mental health day can help if you’re feeling burned out when constant stress from work, family, or social life overwhelms you.

Gallup’s 2023 report shows high employee stress levels post-pandemic, with 44% of workers feeling stressed the previous day.

Gen Z workers are eager for solutions, as shown by a 2022 TalentLMS and BambooHR survey where 82% expressed interest in mental health days.

Burnout and work-life balance issues are key factors potentially leading them to leave their jobs.

Moreover, a survey found that baby boomers see mental health days as essential, indicating a shared desire across generations to take time off for relaxation and renewal.

Yet, there remains a gap between wanting to prioritize mental well-being and taking the necessary steps.

Meanwhile, a Pew survey found that 62% of workers prioritize jobs with paid time off, but nearly half don’t use all their available PTO.

If you’re busy or have limited PTO, remember that taking just one day off can be rejuvenating, especially in summer.

Here are tips to make the most of a mental health day for optimal benefits:

1. Check your calendar: Picking a less busy day increases your chances of sticking to your plan.

2. Commit to yourself: Commit to something enjoyable to ensure you don’t skip your day off. This could mean signing up for an event or activity like a workshop, concert, spa visit, or meeting with a friend.

3. Inform your colleagues: Discuss with colleagues to prepare for your absence. Establish clear guidelines, such as only calling your cell for urgent issues, to avoid checking emails and messages while you’re away.

4. Create a clear out-of-office message: Set up an out-of-office message with contact details for colleagues who can assist during your absence. Chris Dyer, author of “The Power of Company Culture,” suggests that people should be requested to resend messages after they return and delete emails received while they are away.

5. Trust your team: Things won’t fall apart if you take a day off. Katherine Nelson, an instructor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business in Philadelphia, points out that while we may feel indispensable if something were to happen, your boss would find a solution.

How will it benefit you?

Aside from giving you a good rest, taking some mental health days offers some amazing benefits:

1. It helps you feel better.

2. It helps you become stronger and better at overcoming difficulties.

3. It helps you feel healthier.

4. It lowers the chances of experiencing a mental health crisis later.

5. it helps you feel less exhausted and increases productivity.

Why is it important?

Working without breaks doesn’t always lead to productivity.

Leah Weiss emphasizes the need for rest and reflection to maintain performance, debunking the idea that more work hours equals better results.

Tara O’Sullivan compares time off to sleep, highlighting its role in mental and physical recovery.

“Sleep is when everything repairs itself and allows the body to recover. You need to allow your thought process to do the same,” she says.

On the other hand, Nelson underscores that neglecting self-care for work harms health, advocating for prioritizing personal time and family to stay healthy and productive.

“You’re not doing anybody any favors if you give up your mental health for a job. The healthiest people are the ones who take time for themselves and their families,” she said.

How to spend mental health days to make the most of it?

To make the most of your mental health day, avoid leaving it completely open without plans.

A day of a movie marathon or tackling a long to-do list won’t refresh you.

Instead, plan activities that truly rejuvenate you, such as spending time outdoors, being active, or connecting with others.

Learning something new, like playing an instrument or taking an art class, can also be revitalizing.

If you’re unsure how to spend your day, consider activities that align with what you’d do if time were limited.

“Ask yourself what kinds of things you would do if you had six months to live,” says Karissa Thacker, Ph.D., author of “The Art of Authenticity.”

According to O’Sullivan, occasional breaks like this can provide a fresh perspective on life beyond work.

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day emphasizes the importance of mental health care and recognizes it as a fundamental human right.

In the United States, despite 65 million people living with mental illness, about 60% do not receive treatment.

Here’s a video from Norwich City Football Club for World Mental Health Day: