The Importance of a Mental Health Break

The start of this month has carried with it some pretty heavy baggage. Firstly, our dishwasher broke down and needed to be repaired, so I had to spend more time than normal washing dishes. (It’s fixed now. Thank God.) Also, I’ve been having some health issues of my own, but then there was the looming deadline on Is All of it In Vain?, my upcoming animation. What to do with all this? Well, it seems a little selfish, I know, but at times like these we need to try and carve out some time for ourselves. Some time for our sanity to decompress and reshape itself.

What are the benefits of a mental health break?

1.) It gives you time to decompress

This one’s a no-brainer. If you are not working, then you are (hopefully) not stressing about work. This gives you time to calm your nerves before getting back into the fray.

2.) It reduces burnout

If you keep going until the finish line, you’ll get to that point at a huge cost to your mental health. According to WebMD: “Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling swamped. It's a result of excessive and prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress. In many cases, burnout is related to one's job. Burnout happens when you're overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to keep up with life's incessant demands.” (Source: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/burnout-symptoms-signs) The cited article also says “Sometimes, we get too busy and forget to take a step back and rest.” Hint, hint…

So how do you reap the benefits of a mental health break? Here are some suggestions that might be helpful:

1.) Assess whether it’s possible for you to take a mental health break.

A mental health break is something you should take when you need it, but can you take one and not miss an important deadline? Possibly, but that’s a question you need to answer. Look over your calendar, see what remains to be done on your project, and see if you can still get it done in time despite whatever time you take off.

2.) If you work for someone other than yourself, make sure you have enough PTO.

It’s doubtful that your boss will give you sick days if you need a mental health break, (although, in my opinion, they absolutely should!) But alternatively, if you have PTO, you should use it. Be sure you tell your boss that you’re doing this so you can be more productive. They couldn’t say no to greater productivity!

3.) When you are on break, do not think of work!

It can be tempting to just get your project over with, but the whole purpose of a mental health break is to restore your sanity. That means no work.

4.) Do not abuse the privilege!

This past week was my mental health break, and I hadn’t had a mental health break since last September. This should give you an idea of how infrequently I take such breaks. It’s important that you do the same. Use the breaks wisely, otherwise you might be seen as lazy or unreliable. Only take mental health breaks when you absolutely need them, and remember, this is a last resort, not a first choice.

When was your last mental health break? Are you going to try to take one soon? Let me know in the comments.