When To Take A Mental Health Day
Everyone feels mentally overwhelmed at times - it’s normal.
Although, if those depressive or anxious thoughts start becoming a bit more regular, you may want to start considering if a mental health day may be warranted. So, how do you go about deciding if you need to take a personal day off? Check out some common circumstances below.
You Can’t Focus
If you lose focus frequently throughout the day and can’t seem to get it back, it may be a subtle indication that you need to pay more attention to your mental health. Take a day or two off, get some sleep, or enjoy some time in nature to refresh your mind and spirit. You’ll return to work more attentive and energized.
You Feel Drained of Energy
Have you been incredibly disengaged at work? When your energy levels go from low to non existent, it may be time to take a day or two off. This lack of energy is probably in the midst of becoming a viscous cycle. Chances are it’s overflowed into your nutritional habits, sleeping patterns, and daily routine. Showing up to work like a zombie isn’t doing yourself, or your employer any good. Just schedule a day off and get some rest. You’ll thank yourself for it.
You’ve Started Snapping
Sometimes when mental health begins to suffer or stress on the job gets too high, tempers can become very short. If you notice yourself getting angry about things that you normally wouldn’t get mad about, taking a day off may be needed. Aggression towards your family or coworkers can have a deep and long term impact on your relations so you want to make sure you address this before it does any damage.
You’re Not Performing Up To Standards
If your job is very performance based and you’ve noticed a decline in your performance due to your mood, your boss probably has too. With jobs that require constant, high level performance, burnout is always right around the corner. In order to stop burnout before it jeopardizes your career, you need to take action. Have a discussion with your boss and acknowledge what’s going on. Let them know that you recognize the symptoms of burnout and need a day or two off in order to organize your thoughts and recharge your battery. Assure them that you plan to come back to work more focused and driven.
If you’ve tried taking a mental health day and you’re still noticing all or some of the above in your daily life, it may not be a bad idea to talk to a professional.