Most reasonable employers grant mental health days because they understand their benefits and care about their employee's wellbeing. If your employer is unwilling to agree to a mental health day, you can still take sick leave. Remember to visit your doctor for a medical certificate if your workplace requires them.
Here are a few examples of how to ask: “Good morning. I'm having a hard time with my mental health and need to take a sick day today. Thank you for your understanding.”
It's important to remember that you don't have to announce that you're taking a mental health day, even if your company is receptive to the idea; it's still okay to call out sick using more generic language. Either way, the day off should help you return to work the following day feeling more positive and recharged.
Calling out of work for other mental health reasons
The ADA and FMLA do not specify which medical conditions count as disabilities. There is no comprehensive list of mental illnesses that qualify for sick leave. You can call in sick for any mental health reason, diagnosed or not, including: anxiety disorders.
"It's important to be in the mindset that you are deserving of a mental health day if you're overwhelmed. It also helps to word your request as something that would benefit the company. An example might be, 'I wanted to discuss taking a mental health day.
Sometimes simply saying, “I need a day off to manage my mental health,” or “I need to take some time to deal with some personal matters” is enough. If you don't feel comfortable having that direct discussion about mental health or feel unsafe doing so, you can also look into using sick days or personal time off.
Treat it like any other sick day
One of the things that can hold people back from taking time off to care for their mental health is the perception that stress, feeling run down, sadness or anxiety aren't good enough reasons to take time off. It's best to quickly dismiss that idea.
Simply saying you have to deal with a personal matter should do the trick. However, if you're comfortable telling your supervisor or HR department why you're taking the day off, you can! It helps to plan what you would like to say to your supervisor beforehand, so you are clear about what you're asking.
According to Susie, it's all about both sides taking steps to normalise mental health issues: “If you think that your mental health would affect your work performance, then it's OK to take a day off sick. You don't need to make up a physical ailment.”
Being burned out means feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. People experiencing burnout often don't see any hope of positive change in their situations. If excessive stress feels like you're drowning in responsibilities, burnout is a sense of being all dried up.
Just don't ask too early, as your boss might forget. “I've been struggling with my [mental health condition] and need a day to rest. I'll be back at work tomorrow.” “I need a mental health day.
The top five reasons employees abstained from taking days off from work are as follows: pressure from management (23%), informing a supervisor about sickness made them anxious (21%), pressure from team members (21%) the fear that they have already taken too many sick days (12%), and the worry that calling out will ...
Budget more time than you think you'll need so that the conversation isn't cut short. Be clear about the impact your mental health challenges are having at work. If the cause is work-related, share that also. As much as possible, come with suggestions for how your manager or HR can help you.
“If you know your boss well and have a good working relationship, I think it could really be beneficial to tell him/her about your mental illness,” says the Nevada-based therapist.
You should take 1 mental health day per month, psychologist says—here are 4 great ways to use them.
You need a mental health break
If that term isn't cool in your company, you can replace “taking a mental health day” with “investigating a health matter,” says Wakeman. Regardless, you shouldn't wait until you're completely burned out to step away. Instead, Dr. Rubenstein suggests taking some proactive rest.
Fortunately, you might be eligible to take leave from your job under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The intensity of your symptoms might impact your ability to perform your normal work duties. If you experience intense symptoms of anxiety, taking a temporary leave of absence from your job might be important.
Sometimes you need to take a break
If therapy isn't enough, it might help to take time off from work. It could be anywhere from one day to several months, but taking time to process, rest, heal and seek proper treatment can make all the difference.
Anytime you need to call out you should give your supervisor as much notice as possible before your shift begins, when possible you should contact your employer at least 2 hours before your shift so that they can plan and prepare for your absence.
“In general, if you have a fever, cough or fatigue, you should stay home,” says Kevin Hur, MD, a rhinology specialist at Keck Medicine of USC. Here Dr. Hur outlines five signs that you should call in sick and stay home to rest.