I used to feel guilty taking a day off work to read a book or to play volleyball – but not so much after I had an anxiety attack in an especially stressful day at the office. I ended up wondering what I was doing to myself…as I lay on my doctor’s examination table (to which I was becoming used to due to stress).
Soon after that, I changed departments and worked with a boss who allowed flexible schedules. However, this and five sick days weren’t enough to keep other employees’ and my stress levels at bay so whenever I felt stress reaching a certain level I’d take a sick day – I called them “sick-of-my-job” days.
Companies should have a mental health day allowance or add it to employees’ sick day allowance. We hear of people going postal, completely losing it to the point of killing their co-workers. People have heart attacks and anxiety attacks due to stress at work and still there’s not much change in the way companies help their employees handle stress.
What’s the policy at your job? Do you take mental health days?