Working from home does not automatically mean that you are immune to feeling stressed out by your work. In fact, the life of a home-based professional is generally jam-packed with work, family, and other commitments that can sometimes threaten to overwhelm even the most organized and stable person. While you may not think that you are entitled to take a “mental health day” from time to time, you could probably benefit from doing so.
There does not have to be a crisis going on for you to take a break from your work. In fact, mental health days are quite useful for heading off the kinds of crises that can occur when you get too stressed from working too hard. They can leave you refreshed, and can help you to be more productive during your work time.
Eighty two percent of American workers say that they have taken at least one mental health day. If you work outside of the home and you needed a mental health day, you would call in to work and say that you could not go in that day. You may still need to “call out” if your work-at-home job requires that you do so. If you are your own boss or at least in charge of deciding when you do your work, you are able to look at what you have to get done and redistribute the tasks that you would do on your mental health day to other days.
Now that you have decided to take a mental health day, and you have figured out the logistics of how to do it, what do you do with your day? Staying home and feeling guilty about not working would certainly defeat the purpose of taking a day off to recharge, so be sure to avoid spending your day that way. Think about what kinds of things you find relaxing and enjoyable that fit into your lifestyle. It could be a day at the park or the beach with your kids, complete with a home made or store bought picnic lunch. It could be a day of pampering with a trip to the salon for a new hair cut and perhaps a manicure or pedicure. Maybe you really need to reconnect with a friend or two and can meet up with them for lunch or dinner. Whatever it is that will make you feel like you have unplugged from your work and taken time to do something just for you. When used sparingly and appropriately, mental health days can have a rejuvenating effect that can help you return to work inspired instead of tired.
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