“Self-care looks different for everyone, it is up to you to decide how you want to design your day.”
By: Pooja Gandhi
It can be very easy to convince yourself that poor mental health is not a good enough reason to take a break. When you can physically do something, why not just go and do it? However, mental health is just as important as physical health and contributes to one’s well-being.
Similar to other injuries and body illnesses, your mind needs time to recover and rest to avoid overworking yourself. This goes beyond just Sunday blues, or being bored and feeling unexcited about something; if you wake up feeling anxious, down, or stressed, it’s time to consider taking a day off.
On your mental health day, treat it how you would any other sick day. Take time to completely focus on yourself. If reading a book, getting a massage, watching a movie, etc., makes you happy, then make sure to incorporate that into your day. The goal of this mental health day is to reduce stress, negativity, and the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Mental health days can also be an amazing time to practice self-care, whether that means doing a face mask and a 12 step skincare routine or going on a run in your favourite park. It can also mean sitting in your bed all day watching Netflix. Self-care looks different for everyone, it is up to you to decide how you want to design your day.
If you are someone who isn’t used to taking mental health days, it may feel weird to sit in the park or go get a massage, however, this can be beneficial in the long run to better your mental state. It is important to take away that you should do what makes you feel good, not what you think you should be doing. Taking mental health days only gets easier when you can learn to take days off without feeling guilty. The goal is to heal your mind so that you can return to your daily activities feeling positive, productive, and ready to take on the day. Unfortunately, mental health days are still looked down upon, however, it is important to take them when needed.
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