3 Reasons You May Need A Mental Health Day
Web developer, Madalyn Parker, emailed her coworkers to say she’d be taking a couple days off to focus on her mental health. Her boss, Ben Congleton (CEO), sent the internet buzzing when he thanked her for helping “cut through the stigma of mental health.”
See their exchange below.
In support of this story and Congleton’s response, psychotherapist and author, Amy Morin was quoted in Forbes today:
“Mental health rarely gets the same respect. Instead, people are told to ‘get over it’ when they’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues.
Morin lists 3 simple reasons you may want to consider taking off a day for your mental health:
1 – When you’re distracted by something you need to address. If you’re behind on your bills and taking a day off to tackle your budget could help you feel as though you’re back in control, it may make sense to take a day to address it so you can reduce your anxiety.
2 – When you’ve been neglecting yourself. Just like electronic devices need recharging, it’s important to take time to charge your own batteries. A little alone time or an opportunity to practice some self-care can help you perform better.
3 – When you need to attend appointments to care for your mental health. Whether you need to see your doctor to get your medication adjusted or you need to schedule an appointment with your therapist, taking a day off to address your mental health needs is instrumental in helping you be at your best.
Read her full Forbes article on the subject – click here.
In a perfect world, all bosses would support their employee’s need for mental health breaks the same way Congleton did. Unfortunately, the Tweet of the exchange went viral because most employers wouldn’t have reacted the same way.
Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and author of the international bestselling book, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.
←Back to Main Blog