Mental Health Days Are A Way We Love Ourselves
By nature, humans live a cyclical existence. We have good days and bad days. Most of the time, most of us are well, but sometimes we get sick. Even in our healthiest relationships, there are ups and downs. All of these things are natural and understandable. Part of understanding these cycles is the idea of mental health days.
Mental health days are days where we just need to take a day to rest, relax, recuperate, and regroup. While sick days are a normal and accepted, the same can’t be said for mental health days yet.
Mental health is just as important as physical health. In fact, mental and physical health are vitally interconnected. Each is dependent on the other. Allowing yourself a mental health day when you need it is a part of loving yourself.
As a society we need to get to the point where mental health is viewed as just as important as physical health, and where mental health issues lose the stigma they still carry. Employers should start respecting mental health days like they do regular sick days. Policies, procedures, and practices should reflect the importance of mental health to employees.
As individuals we need to get to the point where we place importance on our mental health. When we need to make adjustments to our lives, temporarily or permanently, we need to accept that. Sometimes that means putting a task off to another day. It might mean getting something done despite the fact it won’t be perfect. Whatever it means, it’s okay. Despite what we want to believe, we don’t have to be perfect every moment of every day.
Taking time and effort to protect our mental health is necessary to living a happy, safe, empowered life. When you need a mental health day, take it. Love yourself enough to make your mental health a priority. Please.
Garrett Leeds is the founder of the Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness Project
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