How to Take An Effective Mental Health Day

Importance of your mental health

Taking care of mental health has long been neglected and stigmatized, while we consider it normal to manage physical health.

If you need a mental break, consider taking a day off to do whatever supports your wellness.

A day off can help you manage burnout and mental health conditions. What you do with your day is up to you, but anything that promotes good health is best.

World Mental Health Day

The World Federation for Mental Health, an international NGO, created World Mental Health Day in 1992 to promote awareness and advocacy for good mental health. Many organizations, including the World Health Organization, celebrate the day every October 10.

This is a good opportunity to talk about mental health but also what are the active steps that people can take to improve wellness. It’s just one day, but it should stimulate discussions of making every day good for mental health. Taking a day off for mental health is just one aspect of this.

What Are Mental Health Days?

A mental health day is the mental and emotional equivalent of a traditional sick day. You take the day off from work—or home and other life responsibilities for that matter—and do whatever benefits your mental health.

There is no magic number for how many such days a person needs for mental health concerns. If you have a mental health condition, you might need more. Some months, you might not need any, while the next month you need one or two.

What you do on a mental health day also varies depending on your needs and preferences. Some people like to engage in specific activities that support emotional well-being, while others simply need a mental break from thinking or doing. It’s a personal choice.

Signs You Need a Mental Health Day

Let’s be honest, it’s important to recognize that literally everyone can benefit from an occasional mental health day. You do not need to have a mental illness diagnosis. Good mental health is for everyone.

Unfortunately there are still signs that our culture tends to stigmatize mental illness or even talking about mental health. It also places high value on working hard in spite of any type of illness or fatigue. Being unable to work due to being sick or having mental health issues is still sometimes seen as a weakness, but this is a mistake.

Everyone needs a break sometimes. These are some of the signs that you could be overdue for a mental health day:

• You get physically ill often and don’t take time off to get better. Stress lowers your immunity and makes you more susceptible to illness.

• You feel overwhelmed and overloaded at work and unable to cope.

• You have lost interest in doing your work and don’t care about the quality of what you get done.

• Focusing on tasks has become increasingly difficult.

• Fatigue is a frequent or daily occurrence.

• You experience unusual mood swings or changes in mood that make you feel unlike your usual self. This could include getting easily irritated, frustrated, or angry with coworkers or feeling more depressed than normal.

• If you have a mental health diagnosis, your symptoms recur more frequently or are more severe than normal. You’re struggling to keep it under control, even with normal treatment.

• You have had a particularly bad episode of mental illness symptoms and don’t feel prepared to go to work.

• You have a child or other family member struggling with mental health who needs your time and support.

5 Things to Do on Your Mental Wellness Day

The good news about this kind of day off work is that there are no rules. You should do exactly what feels right for your mental health and wellness.

For some, that means being productive in the house, while for others it means doing nothing more than staying on the couch all day.

This being said, there are some activities that are generally better for a mental day off than others. If you feel up to it, focus on doing things that are good for mental health. Here are some ideas:

1. Get Some Exercise

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for stress management and to boost mental health. Exercise is proven through research to reduce symptoms of depression. In fact, it has been shown to be as effective for mild and moderate depression as medications. Exercise is also a natural treatment for anxiety and stress. It can even help you cope with trauma and serious mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder.You don’t have to do anything too strenuous to reap the benefits. Any kind of movement and physical activity, at your level and pace, will help.

For bonus points, exercise outside! This is a great opportunity to include two activities for mental health in one. Getting your exercise while exposed to green spaces is as simple as going for a walk in a park or around your neighbourhood.

2. Engage in a Creative Project

Being creative is a great way to express yourself and release negative emotions and tension. Creativity relieves stress and anxiety and helps people who have experienced trauma process their past and let go of shame and other bad feelings. Choose something you enjoy. You don’t have to create a work of art or even anything very good. Try coloring or writing in a journal.

A creative project is also beneficial in another very simple way: it provides a distraction. Let your mind get completely immersed in the activity at hand.

3. Do Something Fun

If you just need a break from work and the tedium of your daily tasks, something frivolous and fun can be a great mood booster. This is subjective, of course.

For you it might mean a double feature at the movie theater, while for someone else a fun day is catching some thrill rides at an amusement park. Do what you find fun, that will make you laugh, and that provides a needed distraction.

4. Socialize with Someone Who Makes You Feel Good

A strong social network correlates strongly with good mental health. Spending time with positive, supportive people helps you cope with problems and makes you more resilient. They provide laughs and distraction and share the burden when you’re going through something difficult. If possible, spend some time with a friend or family member who boosts your mood or provides a sympathetic shoulder. Call your parents, grab coffee with a friend, or take a grandparent out for lunch.

Of course, there are times when you need to be alone to feel better. A day off to spend just with yourself is just as valid a way to boost mental health as socializing. You know yourself, so choose what you need on a particular day.

5. Do Nothing

While doing activities or being productive can be a great way to boost your mood and mental health, sometimes you just need to turn off and tune out. This might be especially beneficial when you’re feeling overwhelmed, fatigued, and overworked.

On a do-nothing day off, prioritize rest and sleep. Meditate and listen to music. Binge a favorite show or watch movies on the couch all day. A mental break sometimes means not thinking much and letting your brain go on autopilot.

Look into professional care

A mental health day is a great opportunity to consider your options for professional treatment if you feel you could benefit from it. As with the day off itself, you don’t have to have a diagnosed mental illness to benefit from therapy and other types of professional care. You are always welcome to book a free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. You can do that via the Contact button.