I’m taking a much needed mental health break from work today.
Prioritizing self care over work is essential when we have the flu, but why doesn’t it seem to feel that way when it comes to our mental health?
Taking a mental health day has been top of mind for me since the beginning of summer, but I just kept allowing the guilt to consume me, making one excuse after another to myself as to why it never felt like the right time. I’ve needed this day off, to decompress, ALONE. A day to myself to relax my mind and calm my nervous system. A day to do anything I want to or nothing at all. A day to try and center myself. A day to reflect and refocus. A day to give my anxiety and burnout some relief. A day to just take a brief pause from all my emotional distress.
I have a certain number of “sick/personal” days allocated to me from work so why the heck shouldn’t I use them? It’s not like I’m able to carry them over into the next calendar year or be paid out for them if not taken.
So about a week or two ago I made a promise to myself that November 1st would finally be the day. My choosing of this particular day was methodically thought out and included a look at everyone else’s schedules in my home as well. I wanted to wait until October was over so I could make sure to wrap up any loose ends for the month, and, I also thought that since November 1st landed in the middle of a work week, it would still allow me a couple of days following to catch up before the weekend.
I wasn’t going to let guilt stand in my way this time, and besides, I was all out of excuses.
While I know that one day isn’t going to unburden me from the significant amount of heaviness in my life right now but maybe it will be enough to at least help to boost my level of motivation which has been certainly lacking of late. Maybe my mental, emotional and physical health will even thank me for it later.
A gentle reminder…your mental health matters. Make yourself a priority and never feel guilty for taking care of YOU. No more excuses.
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YouAreEnough 