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The SelfWork Podcast

277 SelfWork: Mental Health Days. Five Ways To Balance Work With Well-Being

The SelfWork Podcast

Margaret Robinson Rutherford PhD

Education, Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Self-improvement

4.81.3K Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2022

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What's a mental health day? Why should you take one? And how to answer the question, “What good will it do anyway? I just have to go back tomorrow….And I need the money.”  I’m going to give you some ideas of how to really use a mental health day to your advantage – and the problems inherent in many work places in “admitting” or ‘revealing” that’s what you’re doing. Of course, here at SelfWork, we’re doing our best to challenge that thinking and are so grateful when you share the podcast with others or leave a review!

Our listener email is from a young woman who grew up in a chaotic home where she'd to become an adult far too soon. Now as she begins to address the pain of that, she’s feeling as if the changes she’s trying to make are going unnoticed by those around her. I’ve had many people tell me the same thing. “I feel like so much is going on inside me – but no one says anything to me. It’s like I’m changing inwardly but I’m frustrated it’s not showing externally.”

So, today’s post, sponsored by BetterHelp, we’ll talk about the ins and outs of mental health days. How do you know when you need one, and how do you create a day that meets whatever needs you have – on that particular day.

Important Links

BetterHelp, the #1 online therapy provider, has a special offer for you now!

New York Times article on mental health days

Forbes article on how the brain processes emotional and physical pain

All about "sick days" in the USA

You can hear more about this and many other topics by listening to my podcast, SelfWork with Dr. Margaret Rutherford. Subscribe to my website and receive my weekly newsletter including a blog post and podcast! If you’d like to join my FaceBook closed group, then click here and answer the membership questions! Welcome!

My book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression has been published and you can order here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life. And it’s available in paperback, eBook or as an audiobook!

And there’s another way to send me a message! You can record by clicking below and ask your question or make a comment. You’ll have 90 seconds to do so and that time goes quickly. By recording, you’re giving SelfWork (and me) permission to use your voice on the podcast. I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

 

Our Sponsors: * Check out BetterHelp and use my code betterhelp.com for a great deal: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is Selfwork, and I'm Dr. Margaret Rutherford.

0:14.1

At Selfwork, we'll discuss psychological and emotional issues common in today's world

0:19.0

and what to do about them.

0:20.4

I'm Dr. Margaret, and Selfwork is a podcast dedicated to you taking just a few minutes today

0:26.2

for your own Selfwork.

0:29.7

Hello, and welcome to Selfwork.

0:31.6

I'm delighted you're here.

0:33.2

I'm Dr. Margaret Rutherford.

0:34.4

I'm a clinical psychologist, and I've been living and working in fable Arkansas for

0:38.0

almost 30 years.

0:39.9

I started Selfwork now more than five years ago.

0:42.0

I can't believe I'm in my sixth year.

0:44.8

In order to extend the walls of my practice to those of you who might really already be

0:48.4

interested in therapy or emotional psychological issues to those of you who've just been diagnosed

0:54.5

or you're having a relationship problem that you just can't seem to wrap around, and

0:58.6

you're looking for answers, but also to a third group.

1:01.9

To those of you who have tended to believe what other people say about therapy, it's for

1:07.1

people who are weak or it's not anything that's really helpful.

1:11.4

You're just paying me to be your friend, so I want to try to debunk a little bit of that

1:15.5

for you.

1:16.5

Selfwork isn't therapy, but at least here at Selfwork, you can listen to what a therapist

1:20.9

thinks like and talks like.

...

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