Be clear and concise, stating the specifics of how your mental health problems are impacting your work. The point here is to keep it professional and appropriate—your boss is not a therapist or close friend, so you need to stick to what matter's to the workplace.
She suggested saying something like: "I've been dealing with some intense changes in my family life, and it's been a major source of anxiety for me lately. I know I've been distracted during the workday as a result of this, and it's taking a toll on my ability to be 'on' the way I need to be.
It's entirely up to you how much you want to disclose - you don't have to "name" your condition but be careful about words like “stress” which can mean many different things and is often misinterpreted. If you have seen your doctor, and have a diagnosis, then let your employer know you are ill.
If your employer offers specific mental health leave, you can specify that you're taking sick leave for mental health reasons. You could say something like: “I'm putting in a day of mental health leave. Thank you for your understanding.”
Although stress is a mental condition, it's legally treated the same as physical illness and if you're feeling unwell or unable to cope owing to stress, you can approach your GP and seek time off work to help you recover.
Be clear and concise, stating the specifics of how your mental health problems are impacting your work. The point here is to keep it professional and appropriate—your boss is not a therapist or close friend, so you need to stick to what matter's to the workplace.
“Lately, I've been experiencing stress and burnout and would like to request time off to manage my mental health.” “I've been struggling lately with personal stress. I know I've been distracted and unfocused at work as a result.
“Recently I've been having a hard time with my [condition] and am going to take a sick day today to try and rest up. I'll be back tomorrow.” “I'm feeling burnt out, and am planning to take a sick day today to take care of my mental health. I'll be back in the office tomorrow, thank you for understanding.”
When a nervous breakdown is work-related, some professionals refer to it as burnout syndrome. It's most likely brought on by stress from work including upcoming deadlines, increased workloads, unreasonable targets, etc.
If you're feeling burned out, it could be time to ask your boss for a mental health day. It's important to remember that your mental health is just as important as your physical health, so asking for a mental health day doesn't have to be any different than asking for a regular sick day.
A nervous breakdown, also known as a mental health crisis or mental breakdown, describes a period of intense mental distress. A person having a nervous breakdown is temporarily not able to function in their everyday life.
Reinforce helpful behaviors.
When you disclose information about your mental health, it's likely that your boss will feel concerned — about you, about the team, about the workload, and even about themselves. Ensure that you give them regular feedback on what's working and what's not.
Tell your employer
Remember that stress leave is a very common situation in the workplace. And chances are, it's not your employer's first time dealing with such situations. So, go ahead and speak directly with your HR team or manager and explain: Your stress levels are preventing you to work effectively.
There's no set period of time to be signed off work with stress depression or anxiety. The doctor will keep signing you off for as long as your symptoms prevent you from working. What is this? Being off work for mental health related issues is very common, you are not alone.
You don't have to go into personal details, just focus on how your mental health problem can affect your job. Who you want to share it with. For example, you might tell the human resources (HR) department about your diagnosis, but you don't have to tell your supervisor or colleagues.
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can be used for mental health leave like any other medical leave you might need to take for yourself or your family. Whether you yourself are eligible to apply for FMLA and use it depends upon whether you meet the FMLA requirements. It also depends on the size of your employer.
You should seek the help of medical professionals such as a psychotherapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist if you experience prolonged periods of a low mood, aversion or disinterest in activities or work, disruptions to your sleep, or thoughts of suicide or self-harm.