Sometimes we all need a little mental health day. This isn’t a sick day. Nah, I can keep working when I’m sick, which I do.

But there are those days that you are mentally, physically and emotionally drained and just would be rubbish at work anyways so why not step back and take care of yourself for a day, or half day, or evening?

+ Plan it out ahead of time:

- do you need to tell your boss

- what do you need to get done to step back

- put up an out of office on your email

- make a list of what you’re going to do with your time

+ What are you going to do?

- is it a productive, get shit done, sort of day?

- is it a sleep in, take care of yourself, sort of day?

- or a combination of both?

Regardless there’s a few things to consider:

+ allow yourself to sleep in

- but don’t over do it

- or wake up early

+ shower and get ready,

- even if you’re wearing loungewear all day

+ don’t veg out all day

- you can but you won’t feel refreshed

- there’s time in the evening for this, or when you need a little break, but don’t lose your whole day doing this

+ eat nourishing meals (hell maybe even meal prep)

- either make yourself something at home

- get food, but not fast food (ok maybe one meal that not super healthy)

Some ideas of stuff to do:

+ go outside

- go for a walk/hike

+ reconnect with someone

- write a letter, call someone, meet for coffee

+ make it about you (self-care)

- put on a mask

- take a bath

- get a massage

- do your nails

+ sundays are my GMLT (get my life together) day, but maybe you need a week day to do this — hit reset

- laundry

- get groceries

- clean my apartment

- plan out my week

+ run errands you’ve been putting off

- doesn’t seem exciting but you’ll feel good after

+ declutter an area of your house

- go through your shoes, your bathroom drawers, fridge

+ journal

- it’s my free therapy, and I’m able to work through stuff

+ meditate

- or sit quietly for 5-10 minutes

Your personal, mental health day can be anything you want it to be. It really is tempting to just veg out on Netflix all day (we’re all guilty of that), but I promise you’re going to head back to the real world feeling so much better if you’ve made time to do nourishing things for yourself.

What are some of the things you do on a personal/mental health day, even if it’s on the weekend? And I should add that I know everyone can't take a day off work for themselves, but this doesn't mean you can skimp on these things. Make time for it in the evenings or on the weekends.

I can’t actually complain about winter. I’ve gotten a pretty big break with our trips so far this year. Those warm trips always make coming back to a cold Iowa a little more bearable.

But what gets me itching for winter to be over more than anything is when we have a really nice day here. When it’s the end of February and nearly 70 degrees out. That’s when I find myself saying “This is what my soul needs!”

You don’t realize how much the weather truly impacts you until you go from having to bundle up just so your skin doesn’t hurt, to being able to go for a walk in just a sweatshirt a week later.

Blue skies, sunshine and warmth, that’s what I crave.

Monday this week I felt pretty meh from the lack of sleep I had, and the start of my period complete with cramping. I posted on Instagram about this wave of melancholy I was feeling that day.

The next day I woke up, fully rested, to blue skies and sunshine. Then to top it all off I found out that it was already above 50, headed towards 60 degrees that day. Sweet baby Jesus get me outside!

And it was amazing, the huge difference I felt between those two days. Granted the start of my period probably had quite a bit to do with Monday (it was nice out too). But I had such a pep in my step walking around during that 66-degree day.

I felt energized, inspired and just really freaking happy.

I will buy winter boots for next winter, I promise, but I just crave that sensation where you close your eyes and tilt your head towards the warmth of the sun. And I swear I can feel it recharging my mental and physical batteries as I do it.

I want to be able to throw open my windows, let in the fresh air and dance around my kitchen while making food. I want to go for walks, runs, bike rides and you know what, I really want to ride my longboard around again.

I want to set up my hammock in the park to read or journal. I want to walk outside in sandals and shorts and feel hot. I want to sweat.

I want to go outside during a warm summer rainstorm. I want to crack my windows open that night to fall asleep to that glorious sound of the rain outside.

I want to go down to visit my sister and go out on walks with her and my little nephew. (I’ve been getting snaps of her and him doing this since it’s been warm this week.) I want to sit out on her back porch with them. (She has a very peaceful house). I want to go down to my parent's house out in the woods and just sit in that silence of being out in nature away from the city.

Gah, there’s so much I want to do when it gets warm, and I really hope I remember this feeling, this desire for spring when spring finally comes.

What’s your favorite season? What’s the one you find yourself looking forward to most? If you can’t tell mine is spring, but then again I’m a spring baby so maybe I’m biased.

Taking a Personal/Mental Health Day

Sorry Winter, I'm Ready For Spring