There are some times in your life where stress and personal issues make your life overwhelming. For some people the idea of going to work seems next to impossible due to the situation going on in your life and the side effects those situations cause. It can be essential to your work productivity and your own mental health to take what is often called a ‘mental health day’ from work.
Ideally, you do not want to take days off for the purpose of rejuvenating yourself whenever you please. You should save the time off for the times when you need it most. While in some cases, the stressors can arise unexpected, it is always wise to plan in advance to ask properly for the time off so as not to jeopardize your job.
A few signs of needing some time off from work for a mental health day may include the inability to sleep (insomnia), you are easily aggravated especially by other people you work with, or you just do not seem to care about whether or not you get your work done. It is important you be effective on the job so it can be helpful to take some time off to de-stress and get yourself back into a better space.
It is fair to approach your boss with concerns about your stability when personal issues take over your life. You don’t have to go into detail about what issues are affecting your life if you are not comfortable revealing such information but don’t lie about being sick either. You do not want to give your boss reason to suspect you may be unhappy at work or looking for another job. You also do not want to give them reason to believe you just aren’t committed to your position.
