Could “unhappy leave” solve your work woes? Maybe not, according to a psychologist.
Some companies offer their employees mental health days, but one supermarket chain in China called Pang Dong Lai recently announced they took this one step further by offering their workers 10 days of “unhappy leave,” the Straits Times reported.
“Everyone has times when they’re not happy, so if you’re not happy, do not come to work,” Chinese retail tycoon Yu Dong Lai, the founder and chairperson of Pang Dong Lai, told the Singaporean news outlet last month.
“This leave cannot be denied by management. Denial is a violation,” Yu said.
While an occasional mental health day may be a good idea, Dr. Art Markman, a professor of Psychology, Human Dimensions of Organizations and Marketing and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, says that “unhappy leave” may not be what you need to feel better — at work or in life, according to Fast Company.
When a mental health day can help you
Taking a mental health day so you can feel refreshed and go back to work with newfound energy could help you, Markman explained.
“A short break from work can sometimes be helpful. If you have engaged in really demanding work, then spending time you find relaxing or rewarding can be rejuvenating,” the professor wrote.
He said mental health days are ideal when people need rest caused by lack of sleep or they simply need alone time to do an enjoyable relaxing activity like going to a spa.
When a day off won’t help
Taking a day off right in the middle of an important project might be more detrimental than it is helpful.
“Research going back almost 100 years demonstrates that people continue thinking about tasks that they are in the middle of,” Markman wrote, referencing a psychological phenomenon called the Ovsiankina effect.
“So, if you try to take a break during an ongoing task, it may be very hard for you to disconnect from it. You might get more value from the break by waiting until you complete the big task,” he added.
When a toxic workplace is to blame
Taking a mental health day or unhappy leave might not do much if your office culture is to blame.
Markman said that a mental health day or unhappy leave isn’t a cure for a toxic work culture.
“A workplace that has unrealistic expectations, abusive bosses, or a culture of harassment cannot expect that the occasional day off will make up for these significant issues,” he wrote.
Markman suggested that companies take a good look at their work culture and try to fix the problems instead of assuming their employees will feel better with leave.
When you need to seek professional help
Markman said if you are suffering from longstanding depression or anxiety you should treat it like a medical problem and make an appointment with a mental health professional instead of simply taking a day off.
“Mental health is health. You would not take a day at the spa to repair a broken ankle. While a day off from the grind can be helpful, you shouldn’t expect that treating yourself will cure a chronic mental health concern,” he wrote.
In addition to chronic mental health issues, stressful life events like having a sick family member, issues with your romantic relationships and debt can also take a toll.
” If your company has an Employee Assistance Plan, you may want to engage with it to get help and advice about how to address the life events that are affecting you,” he advised.
The Post reached out to Markman for comment.
