04 Oct  Let’s Normalize A Day Off For Mental Well Being

  A Day Off For Mental Well Being

We need to normalize taking days off for our mental health. Simone Biles, one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, showed the world that such leaves are not a sign of weakness – but a necessity. 

Following an extremely taxing year due to COVID-19 and the psychological stressors accompanied by the pandemic, more people are prioritizing mental health in their careers. However, the reality is that a significant percentage of the population still feels that it is unacceptable to take sick days for mental well-being or a mental illness. This all boils down to ‘work culture.’ Many employers place value on celebrating their employees who go the extra mile – those who start the day early, leave late, and work on the weekends. The present toxic work culture celebrates both pushing through and suffering.  A lot of emphases is placed on the hustle culture too, which has been successfully ingrained into workplaces. 

Mental health should be approached in the same manner and given just as much importance as physical health. An open culture can prove to be a vital tool in getting the much needed support to normalize this conversation. What is often ignored is that taking a mental health day has been shown to improve mood, motivation, energy, and one’s ability to manage workplace stress. Taking time off might just increase one’s overall productivity rather than lead to a decline in productivity.

On the contrary, individuals who experience psychological distress feel pressured by unhealthy and toxic workplace expectations. They are often faced with the fear of judgment or being seen as inadequate to handle their workload which can result in missing out on promotions and career-changing opportunities. The stigma surrounding this issue can impede employees from addressing their mental health concerns. The stigma around mental health in the workplace hinders people from taking days off for their mental well-being. These individuals are often just forced to push through, which could undermine their capacity to perform, leading to agitation, disengagement, avoidance, and even second-guessing. 

How can we normalize taking mental health days? 

Some of the steps employers can take include:

• Educate yourself about mental health challenges. The prevalent stigma surrounding mental health challenges perpetuates the notion of such challenges not being serious or chronic enough to pay attention.
• Introduce a concrete change in organizational policies by including mental health days so employees know that taking a day off for the same is encouraged and accepted. 
• Policies can also be introduced that enable employees to not provide a reason for taking a sick leave.

Remember, the most obvious sign of the need to take a mental health day is when you feel like you are anticipating difficulty in performing your tasks – you are not alone and early intervention is the key. Fostering a supportive mental health culture will take ongoing work. But in the meantime, we can check in with our colleagues and employees while keeping the mental health policies top of mind. 

If you are an employer, get in touch with us at [email protected] to know more about how AtEase can be your employee wellness partner.