What Should I Keep in Mind When Planning a Mental Health Day?
We often take time off when our physical health is suffering, but hesitate to do so when it comes to our mental health. As a licensed psychologist, I often encourage my clients to take mental health days both as part of their necessary self-care to prevent stress and burnout and as part of the treatment for mental health concerns. Mental health days are beneficial even before you notice any symptoms of mental health concerns. Just as you would eat well, exercise, and go for annual checkups with your doctor to care for your physical body and maximize your wellbeing, scheduling regular mental health days can be a vital part of a healthy and thriving lifestyle.
Why Is Spending Time With Loved Ones a Good Idea on a Mental Health Day?
Research has shown that social connections and relationships are central to our health and well-being. Humans are social creatures, and we have learned to survive and thrive in communities and relationships with others. Loneliness, on the other hand, has been shown to correlate with poor mental health, substance use, depression, and increased risk of suicide. Spending quality time with loved ones can improve your performance, boost self-confidence, reduce stress, and increase your sense of purpose and meaning. I encourage my clients to maximize their time with loved ones by combining quality time with some of the other evidence-based practices that boost well-being:
- Practice vulnerable sharing and deep listening to increase intimacy, connectedness, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. Have coffee with a good friend and ask them deeper questions about what’s important to them and really listen.
- Express gratitude to reaffirm the relationship and increase positive emotions. Invite your group of friends over for dinner and go around the table to share something they are grateful for.
- Engage in activities of novelty, playfulness, and creativity to increase your endorphins, stimulate the development of new neuron pathways in your brain, and make wonderful memories. Get a group together to do something that you’ve always wanted to try, such as go-karting, pottery, archery, or watercoloring.
Why Might It Be Beneficial to Reassess My Life Priorities?
Reassessing your life priorities is a wonderful activity for your mental health day because self-reflection, value identification, and goal-setting are all proven practices that lead to better mental health and a thriving life. Sometimes we can go through life on autopilot. Without a deeper understanding of what matters to us and why we are on this path can lead to burnout, dissatisfaction, and resentment. One activity that you can use to assess your life priorities is to identify your values and see how they map onto how you spend your time. First, identify your values in the following areas: family, romantic relationship, friendship, career, personal growth, recreation, spirituality, community, and health and well-being. Next, create a pie chart of how much time you spend on each of the areas in a week. Then reflect on whether the amount and time spent match your values and adjust the time as needed.
Why Is Prioritizing Rest a Good Idea on a Mental Health Day?
When we rest, our mind and body have the opportunity to process, recover, and integrate what happened during the more active periods of our day. Learning and growth happen in periods of rest. There are many different types of rest: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and sensory. The difference between productive and intentional rest and zoning out is how you feel at the end of the rest period. For example, you may feel even more sluggish, demotivated, and empty at the end of a 4-hour nap or watching an endless amount of Netflix. In contrast, you might feel alert, energized, and inspired after a 5-minute meditation. Pay attention to how your body uniquely responds to different types of rest and intentionally rest and rejuvenate instead of mindlessly numbing out.
What Are Some Signs That I Should Talk to a Therapist?
Therapy is not just for treating severe mental illness. You can use therapy as a dedicated space to process through emotions, identify goals, keep you accountable for the changes you want to make, and celebrate your wins. Talking with your therapist can be a great idea on your mental health day, and you can integrate regular therapy into your life. If you are struggling with mental health symptoms, burnout, loneliness, or feeling you are not reaching your full potential, talking with a trained professional can help you get unstuck and unlock the next level in your growth. Some of my clients first started therapy because of a major life transition or being at a low point in their lives, but have continued therapy even after they felt better. They continued to gain insights and make transformative changes in their lives.
If you do not currently have a therapist, a search on Google or one of the therapy directories, such as Psychology Today, is a great place to start. Many therapists offer free phone consultations so you can get a feel for them before committing to a full session. I encourage you to search for a therapist before you are really struggling. The search process can be long, as it can take time to find a great match. If you are really struggling with severe and debilitating symptoms, mental health hotlines are available in most states and cities where you can speak with a trained professional who can help you identify resources and make a plan.
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If you are struggling with symptoms of burnout or would like to prevent another episode in the future, you might benefit from some extra support from a therapist who specializes in burnout. Our dedicated team of therapists may be able to help. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with us today to see if we are a good fit for you.
