Workplaces around the globe are slowly but surely waking up to the importance of mental health. But, no matter how enlightened your employer is, there may come a time when quietly saying ‘namaste’ in a mindfulness session just isn’t enough. So, let’s dive in and explore when it’s time to push pause on your professional life and focus on recharging your mental batteries.
Sign 1: You’re Caught in Emotional Whirlwinds More Often
You know those days when you feel like an emotional tumbleweed, tossed about by the winds of raw feelings without any idea of where you might end up? It’s perfectly normal to have a case of emotional vertigo every now and then. However, if you’ve found yourself at the center of an emotional twister more often than you’d like, it may be your mind waving a little white flag, signaling that it’s time for a breather.
Sign 2: Your Motivation Has Left the Building
Your job might not be a walk in the park, full of roses and rainbows (if it is, I’d like your boss’s number, please), but it typically shouldn’t feel like slogging through a muddy field either. A severe drop in motivation, or even downright dread at the thought of another workday, is a clear signal that your mental engine might need some downtime to refuel.
Sign 3: Your Appetite and Sleep Patterns are Going Haywire
Something’s eating you, but you’re not eating. Or you’re eating too much. Or sleeping for only 3 hours a night. Or oversleeping. It’s like your body is conducting a symphony in A minor with a broken baton. These erratic patterns may be your mind’s way of pointing towards a “check engine” warning.
Sign 4: You’re More Crabby Than a Beach in Summer
Remember that SpongeBob episode with Squidward at The Krusty Krab? Feeling perpetually keen on snapping at co-workers or harboring a cynicism stronger than your third coffee of the day can be enough to hint at you needing a mental health break.
Sign 5: Multi-Tasking Feels Like Sisyphus’s Punishment
You used to juggle tasks with the elegance of a seasoned circus performer, but now it feels like you’ve been handed Sisyphus’s rock and every task is a hill? Multi-tasking isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if it used to be yours and you suddenly find it as enjoyable as walking on legos, it might be a sign.
Sign 6: You’ve Become Best Friends with Procrastination
Suddenly washing the dishes or sorting your sock drawer seems more appealing than responding to that email or finishing that report? If procrastination has moved from an occasional visitor to a permanent resident in your life, the alarm bells should be ringing.
Sign 7: Your Focus is Playing Hide and Seek … And It’s Winning
If you’re reading the same sentence for the tenth time or the cursor on the blank page is mocking you, it’s likely your focus that’s playing hide and seek. And not the fun kind. When your focus decides to go on vacation without you, it may be a cue to book your own.
