We need to make mental-health days more common.

What happened to the joy?

For many people, the recent holidays were a scurry for tests rather than a vacation. With delays and cancellations, the omicron variant had us all busy in one way or another, adding stress to our already deep-seated convictions that split us at the dinner table or in the airline aisle. Another COVID-19 wave, another COVID breakpoint, more pandemic weariness, and more good and negative breakthroughs are all on the way.

We're in desperate need of a makeover or some makeup time.

The United States is one of the few countries that does not require vacation time. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for example, offers limitless vacation time, which is not the same thing. Others have followed suit, such as HubSpot, which in 2021 will transition from Global Days to a whole Global Week of Rest. Not every business is made equal.

According to one survey, many people put off taking paid vacation time. Furthermore, nearly half of Americans stated they plan to work or at least check email while on vacation, rather than entirely disconnecting. While vacation is not feasible for everyone, not giving paid time off has a cost: staffing shortages via the Great Resignation, or a Great Reset.

This global stressor has intensified PTSD-like symptoms like rage, anxiety, and despair in the last two years. Students at the University of Washington saw a wide range of outcomes (less so if they tackled COVID/virtual difficulties by acting). Even the "brilliant and excellent pupils," according to one college teacher buddy in New York, are failing. Once again, it's a mad dash riddled with missed deadlines, canceled study abroads, and unexpected migraines.

Schools and employers must continue to lead with even greater empathy and compassion in the future of study and work, especially for those who refuse or are unable to heal from the collective trauma: loss of normalcy, life, and lifestyle.

Looking back, the year 2021 was the most difficult, gloomy, and anxiety-inducing of my life. I was advised to take a paid week off last summer, during the height of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Nonetheless, my savvy Gen Z therapist advised that I take some actual vacation time this year.

It seems practically impossible to enjoy actual vacation freedom these days, when we may be "on" from anyplace and Americans only have somewhat less vacation time than Europeans. In a study, several Americans expressed early reluctance and concern about taking one day off per week, but participants eventually reported greater work-life balance and pride in their work, implying that more hours do not equal better productivity.

Schools and employers must continue to lead with even greater empathy and compassion in the future of study and work, especially for those who refuse or are unable to heal from the collective trauma: loss of normalcy, life, and lifestyle.

This global stressor has intensified PTSD-like symptoms like rage, anxiety, and despair in the last two years. Students at the University of Washington saw a wide range of outcomes (less so if they tackled COVID/virtual difficulties by acting). Even the "brilliant and excellent pupils," according to one college teacher buddy in New York, are failing. Once again, it's a mad dash riddled with missed deadlines, canceled study abroads, and unexpected migraines.

As a result, I found my thoughts were swirling much more and out of control than usual soon before Christmas. I summoned the fortitude to inform my boss that I needed a mental-health day (note: not a sick day). I needed to get off the COVID tiredness and COVID anxiety roller coaster. My boss was not only accommodating, but also encouraging.

However, this is not the norm. We need to make mental-health days more common.