These mental health day ideas will help you to feel refreshed and renewed.
Every now and then, we all need a break from our day-to-day lives. When life gets busy and stressful, our mental health can take a beating. We often neglect ourselves while we tend to work and all our other responsibilities. When you see some opportune time in your schedule for taking a mental health day, make sure you do so! These mental health day ideas will help you to make the most of your mental health day. The result? You’ll return back to your daily life with a freshened perspective on things.
MENTAL HEALTH DAY IDEAS
1. Catch up on sleep.
We all have a resilience level. We’re most able to bounce back from a difficult situation or period of time when we are otherwise thriving in the fundamental areas of our lives. (Think: eating well, staying hydrated, having shelter, being in healthy relationships, etc.) It just so happens that sleep is one of our most basic needs. Although the correlation between mental health and the amount of sleep one gets is well known, I didn’t make this connection for my own life until recently. After a night of little to no sleep, I find that my thoughts aren’t as clear or sensical as they usually are the next day. I tend to fight them in my sleep deprived state, not having the sense to leave my muddled thinking alone. The good thing about this is that I’m usually exhausted by bedtime that same day, and after a solid night’s sleep, I’m basically a new woman.
If you’re taking a mental health day for yourself, chances are you’ve been feeling off in some way. Luckily, catching up on sleep tends to help out a whole host of issues. Prioritize sleeping in, taking a nap, or going to bed early. (Bonus points if you can manage all three!)
2. Have a journaling session.
Whether you’re an avid journal writer or you can barely find a piece of paper to write on, having a journaling session on your mental health day is a good idea. You could start off by having a huge brain dump of everything that’s on your mind. If you’re up to it, you could get into the nitty gritty and try to sort out your more difficult emotions. As silly as it sounds, writing your worries down on paper can help to make them feel less important or powerful. This is one of the best ways to gain a different perspective on things!
3. Learn about the DARE Response.
If you struggle with your mental health in any capacity, I highly recommend that you look into the DARE Response. When I say this has been life-changing for me, I truly mean it. It’s been transformative. Without getting too much into it, the DARE Response encourages you to recognize the discomfort you’re experiencing and face it head on rather than avoid it. Sounds awful, I know, but trust me, the paradox of it all is where relief from debilitating symptoms comes in.
If you want to read some amazing Instagram posts on this topic, go check out Michelle Cavanaugh’s account called @theanxietyparadox. She is a DARE coach and has the BEST way of explaining the entire concept.
The DARE Response is a life saver and if you give it a shot, I can almost guarantee you will see positive changes in your life like I have.
4. Read a self-help book.
I love a good self-help book. There’s something to be said about the promise, hope and inspiration you can take away from one of these reads. And it doesn’t have to even be a book in the self-help category — it could relate to a specific health issue you’re trying to resolve or a topic you want more understanding on. And if none of that appeals? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with diving into a fiction book instead!
5. Treat yourself to something you love.
I feel like this is the quintessential piece of advice for a mental health day, and with good reason! You need to show yourself that you deserve a nice treat every without needing a special occasion to do so. Some ideas include:
- A full-body massage
- A mani/pedi
- A latte from the pricey coffee shop
- Flowers from Trader Joe’s
- A new skincare product
- Fast food (Reese’s DQ Blizzard, anyone?)
6. Visit with family or friends.
This is a big one. These days, we don’t have as much opportunity for face-to-face connection like we did in the past. If FaceTime with your bestie is all you can swing, then that’s totally fine, but see if you can go visit your grandma at her house. Meet up with your sibling on his/her lunch break. Plan to have a dinner date with your SO later in the day. Do your best to be present and your authentic self during this quality time with your loved ones. Just as much as you’ll benefit from a listening ear, chances are that they will, too.
7. Allow yourself some time to “rot”.
Contrary to what you might think, “rotting” is actually a beneficial mental health day idea. Most of us spend some portion of our day scrolling. Unfortunately, when we don’t put any limits on rotting, we can spiral down a rabbit hole of endless content consumption while our goals and responsibilities fall to the wayside. So give yourself an hour (or two) of uninterrupted scrolling or guilty-pleasure reality TV. Once your time is up, put it aside and move forward with your day.
8. Wear an outfit that makes you feel your best.
When we look our best, we feel our best. Whatever outfit you wear highly depends on the type of mental health day you’re going for, but in general, it’s always a good idea to make an effort. Finally going to the DMV to update your license? Wear your self-proclaimed uniform that makes you feel amazing. Staying in all day? Opt for your super cute Lululemon set, not yesterday’s mustard-stained T-shirt and sweats.
9. Cook a nourishing meal.
While it’s tempting (and perfectly fine) to have tons of treats on a mental health day, it’s also a great idea to make a meal at home. As delicious and convenient as it is, restaurant food is notorious for containing additives and excessive calories. Your body will thank you for putting in the extra effort of getting a nutrient-dense meal in. Stick with a tried-and-true dish you love or make something new if you’re feeling adventurous.
10. Complete THAT item off your to-do list.
UGH. We all have that ONE thing on our to-do list that we just can’t seem to get around to because, um… we don’t WANT to. 😂 I’ve been there before, and I’m there right now — I have an Amazon package I need to return soon, and for some reason, the simple idea of doing it feels like pulling teeth. Will I feel 1000% better once it’s done? Of course I will! So do yourself a favor and cross that menacing item off your to-do list on your mental health day.
11. Allow your emotions to surface.
This is a tough one, but it’s true. I don’t have much advice to offer on this topic other than the fact that emotions are meant to be felt. Bottling them up or avoiding them altogether only leads to a bigger mess down the road. Also, remember that feelings always pass. You won’t feel a certain way forever, even if it seems like it in the moment.
12. Spend time outdoors.
I’m not sure why it’s taken all 27 years of my life to realize this, but going outside is basically like hitting the reset button. It literally just clears your head in a way that nothing else can. So ditch the treadmill and take your walk outside in the neighborhood. Forget your cozy reading nook and take your book out to your deck. Spread a blanket out in the grass and just stare up at the sky. Whatever your mental health day looks like, I urge you to make getting outside in some capacity a priority.
13. Clean up your space.
If your home or space is cluttered in any way, then there’s a good chance your mental state is reflecting that. For example, when I go downstairs first thing in the morning to find my living areas nice and tidy, my brain feels the same way. But if I’ve tripped over an abandoned sweatshirt while finding yesterday’s dinner plates still sitting out on the counter, I’m going to feel a whole lot worse. You don’t have to go crazy, but do a quick tidy up of your space and I promise you’ll be better off for it.
14. Detox from social media.
This doesn’t have to be as intense as it sounds. You can totally choose to spend the day without checking your socials, but if that’s a bit too extreme, there are other ways you can do this. Set new time limits on your most-frequented apps. Unfollow accounts that don’t serve you any longer. Store your passwords somewhere safe so you can delete an app off your phone for a while without fearing being locked out forever. In general, choosing to spend more time in your real life versus your virtual life is always a good idea.
15. Continue to tend to your responsibilities.
This might sound harsh, but I think it’s an important question to pose: What’s the point of taking a mental health day if you let all your other responsibilities fall off? It won’t be as easy getting into the swing of things the next day while also having piles of dishes and laundry to contend with. You should absolutely bask in the relaxed, carefree attitude of your mental health day, but you need to also stay grounded in reality so as not to crash and burn.
Final Thoughts…
When was the last time you took a mental health day? Which of the mental health day ideas above will you take for yourself? Let me know in the comments below!
This blog post shared all about mental health day ideas.
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