Taking a mental health day? Here’s how to optimize it

You feel mentally exhausted, and you’ve decided to take a day off work to recharge. Your workplace might call it a personal day, a mental health day, or something else. But whatever you call it, one question remains: how do you make the most of your day?

First, good for you for taking leadership in self-managing your mental health. These small steps – like taking a day off work – can boost resilience. Still, remember that your mental health is influenced by many factors. And not all of these may be in your control. It’s only one day, so keep expectations realistic about what you’ll accomplish.

That said, you still want to make the most of your day, so where do you begin? Start by taking a quick self-assessment the night before. Is tomorrow a reactive day, where you’ve gotten run down and need to build back some resilience? Or is it a proactive day, where your resilience level is good, and you just want to maintain it?

If it’s the former, where demands are high and resilience is low, plan some activities that can build resilience. Research has given us firm directions on this. Resilience-building activities might include:

• Additional sleep time
• Exercise (cardio, strength, meditative)
• Time with a friend – or attending a new activity to make new friends
• Taking time in nature (a walk in the park or by a lake for example)
• Planning and eating nutritious meals
• Journaling, to reflect on your stressors, life priorities and the positive changes you can make.

You might also see a registered mental health professional (or book an appointment for later) for a personal check-in.

If you’re taking a proactive day off, you’re likely looking to just maintain and protect your resilience. Consider the resilience-building activities above, or activities that you simply enjoy. It could be reading, oil painting, playing music or going for a walk in a different area – so long as it’s health-neutral or positive, take some time to indulge.

Remember: mental health is complex and there are many factors at play. They didn’t build Rome in a day, and you may not get a “full reset” by day’s end. But you’ll be giving yourself some important self-care you need. That can boost your resilience, make it easier to face the work and life challenges ahead, and contribute to your overall good health.

Marie-Helene Pelletier, PhD, MBA, is a workplace mental health strategist, registered psychologist and professional speaker who teaches at the University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business.