When to Take a Mental Health Day 2.0
It’s been almost a year since my very first post on my website. I was inspired to the mental health day post when I was taking a mental health day. I was in the middle of it. It wasn’t for branding or getting followers. In fact, the start of this site was a fun coping skill for me to be able to offer support to people for issues I was going through right then and there. I was in the middle of a crazy session in my counseling program and I was seeing clients. It was a bad day, I don’t fully remember what the trigger was, but what I do know is that I was having panic attacks and anxiety attacks back to back. I just couldn’t be fully present with my clients and my code of ethics says to do no harm. So I cancelled my session.
Talk about an absolute trainwreck of guilt and shame, on top of panic and anxiety, but I managed to call down because I consulted with my supervisor who recognized that this was me advocating for my needs and doing right by my clients. It was a much-needed mental health day and by the end of it I felt better and had a plan for moving forward. By that Thursday I was back to seeing clients, going to classes, and showing up more fully. Plus I took a look at what was working and what was not.
So why the mental health day 2.0?
Well in short terms, I am taking a mental health day today. I am in a much different place now than I was at that time. I have since graduated, I am employed as a therapist, and I have a coaching business! So clearly things have changed. I think that it’s a good source of reflection, healing, and growth that I am able to sit here, help you all see my thought process when things are not working, and provide insight into how you can apply this to your own life.
How Can I Make a Mental Health Day Work for Me?
Right now I am in a season of transition. Can anyone relate? What my patterns and routines were in the fall are no longer here in the spring. Everything is different. I don’t have school anymore ( although I am a lifelong learner). I have come to terms with the harm that an undiagnosed ED has created in my life. ( in recovery, but reflection is key). I am building up a new caseload of therapy clients, and I am running a business. What a trip. Furthermore, friends that I have been close to are moving around, having huge life transitions ( I hear wedding bells), and I am in a relationship for the first time in 10 years. So much is changing.
With all of the uncertainty and unpredictability, burnout, anxiety, depression, and trauma can sneak up. So what I use mental health days for is a day to relax, recover, reflection, and heal. That may mean trying to understand what is and is not working in my relationship. That may include reaching out to a friend to talk. This could include taking off fully from work and technology ( to a point, writing is healing). Or, accessing what I want for the future. I have found that mindfulness, breathwork, movement, and writing are incredibly healing.
Benefits of Mindfulness on Your Mental Health Day?
Mindfulness is something that comes off as a vague term. You can learn more about it in my wellness dimensions series for young adults. Essentially this is the practice of becoming more present with oneself, living in the moment, and bringing awareness to the internal self. How can this be done? Breathwork, meditating, taking a walk, firmly standing outside with your bare feet in the grass, writing! There is no right way to be mindful, and it’s important to stay in the moment and concentrate on one thing at a time. So don’t listen to music, watch tv, do homework, or work while trying to integrate this into your well-being and mental health day.
If you are not fully convinced of the benefits of mindfulness on your health, a research study by Bartlett, L., Lovell, P., Otahal, P. et al. (2017) on employees in the public section stated that when mindfulness was incorporated into the workplace, there was a high amount of acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy, although it does a site that inflexible work environments add challenges to the integration. Psychological flexibility plays a huge role in being able to accept outcomes and bring more peace into your life, so being able to integrate mindfulness in a way that works matters to your success.
Another study by Kriakous SA, Elliott KA, Lamers C, and Owen R. (2020) states that MSBR is effective at reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as supporting the improvement of resilience and self-compassion. What an amazing impact. I do want to highlight that over the meta-analysis that burnout among health professionals was not as easily reduced with the MSBR techniques but never fear, there are ways to support your mental health too. If you need some distress tolerance skills, mindfulness is still helpful.
Top Benefits of Movement ( doesn’t necessarily mean exercise)
Movement can be so incredibly healing. Something I’ve always been driven by its performance and expression through dance. I might even become a movement therapist in the future! However, movement releases much-needed mood boosts and energy-boosting hormones in our bodies. If you are lacking a dopamine or serotonin boost, this can be helpful. The movement has much more of a purpose than simply managing our bodies’ size. I know as a person in recovery that it can be challenging to see movement as anything other than a weight loss tool. I feel for you and empathize. That is why I describe this as a movement rather than physical activity or exercise. I adhere to HAES principles in some regards and I love the use of joyful movement. What gives you that incredible boost and makes you feel happy to be alive, is the movement I want you to engage in during your mental health days and honestly, every day after that.
I truly love a weight neutral approach to our bodies and movement. One study by Dimitrov Ulian M, (2018), stated this:
“Results show that this new intensified HAES®-based intervention improved participants' eating attitudes and practices, perception of body image, physical capacity, and health-related quality of life despite the lack of changes in body weight and physical activity levels, showing that our novel approach was superior to a traditional HAES®-based program”.
What does this mean? Many people benefits from just engaging in joyful movement absent of considing body size and shape. So get in that joyful movement today. I am a fan of cranking up some music with a great beat or a great base adn having a dance club in your own space. Or invite some firends. Your choice!
How Writing Can Heals!
You may have guessed by now that I love to blog. Its just healing to be able to contribute to the internet my own experiences and expertise. My page started off as a self-care project for myself and have since evolved into something more. I love the contrinution I am able to make. I love writing blog sbecause I get to shape my own thoughts and conflicts into useful information for you backed by research. How wonderful! There are all kinds of ways you can express yourself with writing:
You can journal
Write quick bullet points
Blog like me!
Write poetry
Create short stories
Make creative scripts
And so much more!
The options are limitless, so don’t hold yourself back. If you’re thinking, I don’t know what words to put down. Then find some prompts on pinterest, or try your hand at mindful journaling for body image and disordered eating with my free digital down journal.
Mental Health Days for Relationship Conflict
Relationship conflict can be difficult and overwhelming. Taking some mental health days is beneficial for managing the stress of dealing with the situation. Doing this gives you time to reflect on the conflict, figure out how to handle it, and care for yourself during such a challenging time. There are certain things to consider when taking a mental health day related to relationship conflict.
First, it is important to set boundaries and stick to them. It can be helpful to write out the boundaries so that you make sure everyone involved understands what is expected of them. This helps keep the lines of communication open and allows for more effective problem-solving. Additionally, reflecting on your values can provide clarity on how to handle the situation. When you know what your priorities are, it is easier to make decisions that best fit your needs.
Finally, it can be beneficial to talk with a trusted friend or family member about the conflict in order to gain a different perspective and some extra support. Talking things over helps put things into perspective and can provide a new way of looking at the situation that you may not have thought of before.
A Mental Health Day for Burnout and Work Stress
Burnout and work-related stress can take a toll on your mental health. Taking a Mental Health Day is one way to care for yourself in this situation. A Mental Health Day can help reduce stress, provide clarity and perspective, boost your mood, and give you the opportunity to reset and refocus.
When taking a Mental Health Day, it is important to set clear boundaries with your employer and colleagues. Let them know that you need a day off to take care of yourself and tell them what your expectations are for the day. It can also be helpful to establish boundaries between your work and personal life. This will help you to create a clear separation between the two, which can be beneficial for managing stress and keeping your mental health in check.
Finally, it can be useful to reflect on what is causing you burnout and stress. Identifying the source of the problem can help you to find ways to better manage it.
Mental Health Days for Well…Mental Health
It is important to take care of your mental health and practice self-care, especially during times of stress or difficulty. Taking a Mental Health Day is a great way to do just this. It provides an opportunity to slow down and be kinder to yourself.
Let’s Come Up With A Plan Together for Your Future Mental Health Days!
So what's next? Learn about me, a recovery coach for disordered eating and body image. Book a discovery call. Get my free mindfulness journal (part of the DBT framework), and purchase my course which helps you understand yourself and teaches much-needed skills. Or reach some more blogs that can provide helpful insight!
