Taking a mental health day can be extremely important for our mental and physical well-being. As well as this, having the opportunity to take time off for mental health can also contribute to a boost in productivity for employees.
It is thought that addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by as much as 12% so, with that in mind, is it time that employees and employers alike start taking Mental Health Days more seriously?
In this week’s blog post, contributor Leah Concord shares four ways taking a mental health day can encourage productivity as well as good mental health and wellbeing.
4 ways taking a mental health day helps to boost productivity and wellbeing
1. Helps to manage stress levels
Ongoing stress can be toxic for your body and elevated stress levels over an extended period of time can result in a serious illness. Heightened stress can also make it more difficult for people to think clearly or focus.
Taking a day away from work to destress by doing things you enjoy can create the space you need to preserve your physical and mental wellbeing, therefore enhancing your ability to feel more proactive and productive at work.
2. Encourages you to reset your thinking
Your brain operates in patterns. Even if you do not have the external stimuli to carry on with a negative or stressful thought process, your brain might do this anyway. When it comes to work stress, if individuals keep working without attempting to resolve an issue, they can often find themselves reliving the same stressors continually.
Stepping outside of your element and making a conscientious effort to reset your mode of thought can help to disrupt that pattern. By taking a mental health day and putting yourself in a different and positive environment, this can be an effective way to break a repetitive cycle of negativity.
3. Help you to gain perspective
During a high-pressure and fast-paced workday, it can be easy to lose sight of what matters most to you about work. Your perspective towards problems may even be largely influenced by overwhelm or frantic thinking.
A mental health day puts you in a good place to evaluate challenges with a calm and balanced perspective, without any distractions. When you think about a problem at work without the immediacy of it weighing you down, you might find it easier to come to a strategic resolution, and if you need help you can take an opportunity to speak to someone you trust. A clear mind can also put you in a better position to employ creative thinking towards an issue with a coworker or help you identify how to manage a challenge you’re facing with a client.
4. Contributes to avoiding burnout
Trying to maintain a sprint-like pace can leave you feeling drained and fatigued. Even if you feel the tremendous motivation to keep working as hard as you can, you will eventually run out of steam. Some much-needed time off can stave off burnout.
When big things in your life are occupying your thoughts or work is starting to feel overwhelming, you may struggle to dedicate the time and attention that you need to achieve your best in your job role. The last thing you need is to feel the build up of burnout, so consider a mental health day as an opportunity to prevent burnout from escalating.
Start thinking differently about taking time away from work
Time away from work may be just what you need to get some clarity, reduce stress and reaffirm your commitment to doing good work, through resetting your thinking, gaining a wider perspective, and avoiding burnout.
Remember, time off is not just for sickness or vacation, and managing your mental health is just as important.