Need a Mental Health Day? Take it!

Last updated on May 9th, 2026 at 08:39 pm

Teaching is heavy work and your personal life has its heavy times, too. Those days of heaviness take their toll and bog down your mind. When this happens, feelings of anxiousness, overwhelm, and a low mood may overtake you. This is when it is imperative to take a mental health day to focus on you and what you need. You are important! Don’t just keep pushing through your days trying to tough it out. If you need a mental health day, take it!

I know many teachers say it is harder to plan for a sub than just being there. That is not necessarily true. If you have emergency sub plans already put together from the beginning of the year, then you’re covered. Use that sick day. Have a neighboring teacher pull out those sub plans and place them on your desk.

Sick days shouldn’t just be for when you have a fever or illness, they should be for when your mental health is in jeopardy, too. Left unchecked, the feelings you have could become more serious and, then, you’ll have to take even more time off of work to get back in balance. So, why not take the day now to get centered and practice some self-care. What are some ways to practice self-care in one day? Let me share some ideas to get you started.

1. Unplug from Social Media

Social media can cause anxiety in people. While social media has its positive uses, you never know what will pop up on your feed. It’s best to stay off of it for the day. Your mind will thank you.

2. Get out into Nature

Nature has a calming effect. Take a walk, go for a bike ride, or just sit on your back porch. Anything to get outside, breath the fresh air, and feel the warm sun on your face. It’s even better if you can get to a place you love, whether it be the beach (my fav), a park, or dock out by the water. Take a look at this article called, “Nurtured by Nature” from the American Psychological Association on all the benefits being out in nature can have on you.

3. Schedule a Massage

Destress with a full body massage. Try to shut your mind off and relax while the masseuse does their work. Usually you can add in some essential oils for an even more relaxing experience. A massage is beneficial for the body and the mind!

4. Connect with a Friend

I know many of your friends are probably at work, but connecting with someone during the day can really help improve your well-being. Go out for a meal, meet up to take a walk together, or just chat on the phone. When you talk to a friend you can share what is stressing you out and your friend will be there to listen. Sometimes you just need a supportive listening ear to feel better. Then, be that listening ear for your friend. You’ll both leave each other feeling understood and more at peace.

5. Journal about your Feelings

Putting your thoughts and feelings down on paper can help get them out of you. When they are churning around in your mind over and over, it just makes you feel worse. Sometimes writing it down helps to process your thoughts and feelings as well. You may realize some of what is causing those feelings was out of your control to begin with and while it can be difficult to let them go, that’s what needs to happen. Here’s a pretty journal from Amazon to that comes in many colors to get you started.

6 Cuddle with your Pet

If you have pet, spend some time with that pet. Your pet will love spending some extra time with you and cuddling a pet who loves you unconditionally will do you a world of good. There is a lot of research out there on how pets benefit mental health, including this one, “Americans Note Overwhelming Positive Mental Health Impact of Their Pets in New Poll; Dogs and Cats Equally Beneficial” from The American Psychiatric Association.

If you don’t have a pet, visit a nearby animal shelter to visit with an animal. Usually you can schedule taking an animal out for the day or spend some time visiting with the animal in a room there. You never know, maybe, you’ll find a new furry best friend! However before choosing to adopt, make sure you can commit to taking care of a pet, and that this isn’t an impulse decision based on your heavy feelings. You may want to come back another day before making that decision.

7. Exercise

If you belong to a gym, go there. Or go to a place where you can join a walk-in exercise class. If you don’t want to do that, just getting any kind of exercise will help you feel better! Getting your body up and moving naturally gets your brain producing more “feel good” hormones like serotonin and dopamine. Exercise, also, improves your stress response system. Check out this article, “How exercise can improve your mental health” from Epic for more details.

8. Indulge in a Treat

Don’t overdo it, but indulging in a yummy treat can do wonders. Whatever tastes good to you that you don’t have on a regular basis, have one now. For me, it might be a brownie or the “good” ice cream or a special coffee drink. Have that treat and enjoy every bite or sip that you take! Savor the flavor and don’t inhale it.

9. Use Essential Oils

Certain essential oils can help balance your mood and get you feeling good again. Essential oils like bergamot, lavendar, frankincense, citrus oils, and others have been proven to be helpful. I only use oils from Young Living as I trust them the most. Essential oils from DoTerra will do as well. A word of caution on essential oils: Not all brands of oils are created equal. Be careful which ones you use. Feel free to use my referral code for Young Living to get the best out there! https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/referral/2829513 Use code SHAREYL for 10% off your first order over 50 PV.

10. Do an Activity You Enjoy

No matter what you choose to do on your mental health day, make sure it’s something you enjoy! The whole point of a mental health day is to regain your balance to be able to lighten your mental load. Do something that makes you smile, laugh, or feel calm and zen. Take a bubble bath, read a book, watch a romantic comedy, take a car ride with the music up loud, meditate. Whatever you choose, you deserve it! No guilt, no regrets.

Conclusion

Remember you’re not doing your students any favors by showing up in a mental state where you aren’t able to focus on them and their needs. So when things feel heavy, as they often do around this time of the year, take that mental health day! It’s not just beneficial for you, but for all those around you. For more tips on destressing from work, check out my post How to Leave Your Work at Work.

If your feelings worsen or don’t improve after your mental health day, be sure to tell your doctor. It could be a sign of something more. Enjoy your mental health day and take care!