Take a break
A change of scene or a change of pace is good for your mental health. It could be a five-minute pause from cleaning your kitchen, a half-hour lunch break at work or a weekend exploring somewhere new.
A few minutes can be enough to de-stress you. Give yourself some ‘me time’.
Before you push yourself to the edge of burning out, here are five signs it’s time to take a mental health break:
You can’t focus.
Your relationships are suffering.
You’re showing physical signs of stress.
Your self-care no longer exists.
You’re running on empty.
Take a Day
Once you have decided to take a mental health day, the question then becomes "when and how?"
The best way to avoid feeling stressed about taking a day off is to schedule a day off ahead of time, ensuring that you've taken steps to rearrange your workload or find a replacement for the day. However, if you wake up in the morning and just feel that you can't face the stress of the day, this may be a good time to take a mental health day and make the most of it.
The decision of when to take a mental health day really depends on your personal situation. If your employer is supportive and you are comfortable sharing your reasons, feel free to plan a mental health day out in advance. If you don't want to divulge your reasons for taking a day or if your employer is less understanding, don't feel obligated to share.
Taking a break may mean being very active. It may mean not doing very much at all.
Take a deep breath… and relax. Try yoga or meditation, or just putting your feet up.
Listen to your body. If you’re really tired, give yourself time to sleep. Without good sleep, our mental health suffers and our concentration goes downhill. Sometimes the world can wait.