Why a mental health day can help you recharge

Would you ever consider calling in sick to take a “mental health day?” Maybe you should.

You may want take a day or two off from work for your mental health if you’re feeling burned out or not functioning at your best. Maybe you simply can’t recharge your batteries on your usual days off.

Instead of pushing through, take a day or two to collect yourself, so that when you do return to work, you’ll be at your best.

That’s exactly what web developer Madalyn Parker did recently when she sent an email to her team informing them that she was taking two days off to focus on her mental health, adding that she hoped to be back the next week “feeling refreshed and back to 100%.”

She later shared on Twitter the supportive response from her CEO, in which he thanked her for her email and “the reminder of the importance of using sick days for mental health.”

Her tweet, which has more than 11,000 shares and 34,000 likes, has sparked a national conversation on this topic, with many people responding with their own experiences. And major media outlets have picked up on the story, as well.

As director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, I welcome the opportunity to further this conversation about the importance of mental health days, and how to help employees learn when they might benefit from taking them. 

I often encounter colleagues and patients who are struggling with burnout or aren’t functioning at their best while at work.  They may be feeling overwhelmed, or having trouble completing a project, or feeling disconnected from their work, colleagues or customers. 

I encourage people to think of a mental health day in the same way you think of a well-visit to your primary care doctor. 

No one questions when you go to see the doctor for your annual check-up. This is the same idea, allowing you to maintain your mental health, which will allow you to be the best you that you can be. (Just be sure you are aware of your company’s policies regarding taking time off from work and act responsibly.)

It’s also important to remember that taking a mental health day is not the same as taking a vacation day. This is a day you take off with the awareness that you’re burned out and not functioning at your best and you need a day to recover. 

Mental health days will look and feel differently for each individual. Some may need to catch up on sleep, while others may feel recharged after taking a walk, going for a run or eating their favorite ice cream. Avoid routines that kill creativity and energy, such as spending too much time watching TV or scrolling through social media channels. Recharging your batteries means finding something outside of work that you feel good about doing.

By acknowledging the very real need and purpose for mental health days, we’re helping to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness. One in four people in the United States has a mental health issue, and we need to realize that there is no such thing as good physical health without good mental health.