How to know when you need a mental health day

How to know when you need a mental health dayHow to know when you need a mental health dayNo matter how much you love yur job, going to work day after day can be taxing. Just as you would take a sick day to get over a nasty cold, taking the occasional mental health daycan help you recover from stress, anxiety, or depression. The most important step is to recognize the signs that you need a mental health day and to give yourself permission to take the day off.How to know you need a mental health dayApproximately1 in 5 American adults experiences mental illness in any given year, with millions more reaching subclinical levels of stress, anxiety, and sadness that do not warrant a formal diagnosis. That means that nearly all of us will need a mental health day at some point (or, likely, many points) in our working lives. Following are some common indicators that you need a mental health day You dread going to work.More than 28% of people say that work is a significant source of stress an d anxiety. While we all experience periodic stressors at work, it is important to occasionally check in with yourself about how your job affects you. If you find yourself dreading going to work every day, its time to take some time to recharge. You cannot shut your mind off when you get home. Whenever possible, it is good to leave work at work, allowing you to fully enjoy your home life. When workplace stressors take over your mental life, you need a break. You feel irritable and on the verge of snapping. Being snippy with your coworkers, spouse, kids, or other people in your life are sure signs of burnout. Losing your temper at work may have drastic consequences, so be proactive about taking time off when you notice yourself becoming very irritable. You have difficulty sleeping. Chronically high levels of stress hormones can seriously mess with your sleep. Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep are signs that you need a mental health day. You just dont care anymore. Feeling a loss of interest in things you used to enjoy may be a sign of depression. If you find yourself mentally checking out of meetings and doing the bare minimum to get by, its time for a mental health day. After all,severity of depression is associated with a significant loss of work productivity, even for individuals with minor depression symptoms.How to ask for a mental health dayGive Yourself PermissionPerhaps the biggest hurdle to taking a mental health day is giving yourself permission to do it. Workers sometimes say that they feel guilty or lazy when taking a day off if they are not really sick. However, mental health is just as important as physical health Taking a mental health daynow can prevent moreserious problems later.Know Your Office CultureYour approach to asking for a mental health day will depend on your workplace culture. In some offices, saying Im feelingburntout and need to take a sick day to tend to my mental health is perfectly acceptable. In others, that statement would lead to raised eyebrows. It is usually safe to take a middle ground approach Im not feeling my best. I need to take a day off to ensure I can remain efficient and productive when I return.Plan In AdvanceIf you feel burnout on the horizon, planning a mental health day in advance is a great way to be courteous to the rest of your team. Schedule your mental health day for a time when you dont have important meetings or deadlines so you dont leave your colleagues in the lurch.Change Your Workplace Culture Surrounding Mental HealthNearly70% of professionals do not feel that their employers do enough to prevent burnout. Being transparent about mental health challenges, particularly if you are in a supervisory role, mayreduce stigmaandempower other employees to discuss their own need for mental health days.The bottom line is, if you need a mental health day, ask for one Your supervisors response gives you a clue to the larger workplace culture and can help you make decisions about yo ur longevity with the organization.Thisdeutsche post agwas originally published onKununu.com.