Mental Health Day

I have been thinking about "mental health days" after a conversation I had.  It seems that there is an international mental health day each year...Oct. 10th.  I think I must have missed it!

This years mental health poster shows different ways to support your mental health.  My favorite is "take a break."

The problems comes when you wait till you get to the end of your rope and you call in sick because you need a mental health day.  I can assure you, it is not mental health break.  I can speak from experience, taking an unplanned mental health day is like having a warm coke.  You struggle with making the call, you feel guilty, the day isn't one of freedom because you can't be seen out having fun...cause you called in sick and you begin to feel not so good.  Sure you might gain some rest and you get a break from the chaos at work...but this is no mental health day...it is like a warm coke.

Over the years I have come to realize that I need an occassional mental health day or mental health half day.  I can feel it...I am dragging into work, not on top of my game.  I take a look at my schedule, I pick a day...one in my pattern that will feel like a special day to take care of my mental health.  I call people to find a replacement and I take it off.  No excuses, no guilt, no explaination of why I need the time...I am FREE!  I feel good about the time I am giving myself and it truly is a mental health day, because it doesn't come with any negative emotions.  I think when you do not listen to your needs you are forced into the unplanned mental health day.

A true mental health day feels good when you take the time.  You are taking care as a choice rather than a last ditch effort to save your sanity. 

PS.  You'd be amazed at the stuff that comes up when you google "mental health day."  There are a lot of people out there struggling.