Why Taking Time Off Is Never As Easy As It Seems

We’ve all been there before. Burnt out, exhausted, feeling like we need time off to recharge and rest before we return to the world. But often this decision to take time off is never as easy as it seems. From the outside looking in, it looks effortless. We send an email, or a text, or a phone call, feigning illness or, depending on the policies of the company or university, we’re honest about our mental health and request the day off. It’s not always this simple, unfortunately.

For some, it might be. They’re able to check out for the next 24 hours and recharge. For others, the work life balance is not that clear cut. There’s the fear that we’re not doing enough, even on our day off. That voice in the back of our head is telling us we should use this time to get ahead of our workload, so we don’t find ourselves in this overwhelmed position again. We second guess our own decision to take the time off, blaming ourselves for not being able to power through and ‘get on with it’.

Especially in the past 16 months, where the lines between work and home have become even more blurred, checking out isn’t as easy as it used to be. Our offices have become our bedrooms, or living rooms, or kitchen tables. It makes something that used to be as simple as taking a day off, confusing. Which is why taking time off is even more important now than ever before.

While it might not be as clear cut as pre-pandemic life, putting our mental health first and removing ourselves from our busy work or study schedules is vital. Imposter syndrome might still creep in on our days off, and that’s okay. We can acknowledge the struggles of balancing our professional and personal lives, without letting these struggles ruin our day off.

First, it’s important that we actually log out for the day. That means no email checking, no trying to catch up or succumbing to our fears that we’re somehow behind on our schedule. We leave our professional accounts untouched for the day, the world won’t end if we don’t check our emails.

Secondly, we actually rest. Whatever form this takes, be it reading a book, binging Netflix all day, or watching TikTok until your phone dies. Self-care looks different for each individual, as do the routines we partake in to allow our minds to relax.

Finally, we remind ourselves that we’re allowed to have a day off. Rest is not something that needs to be earned, it is a basic human right that we are all entitled to. We can’t expect ourselves to perform at our best when we’re running on empty.

Taking our mental health seriously can be difficult, but worth it in the long run. Taking one day off won’t ruin your life, I promise.

Written by,

Emily De Vogele