Realizing you can’t take “mental health days” as freely anymore.
REALIZING YOU CAN’T TAKE “MENTAL HEALTH DAYS” AS FREELY ANYMORE.
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Remember those days on campus? When a looming deadline or an all-nighter meant you could, perhaps, justify a "recovery day" or a spontaneous escape to the library's quietest corner for some internal regrouping. Maybe it wasn't officially a mental health day, but the flexibility was there, woven into the fabric of academic life. We were used to intense sprints, followed by moments of self-directed decompression, often unburdened by the same rigid expectations of a 9-to-5 world.
Now, out here, it's different, isn't it? The transition from campus to career brings an unexpected jolt, a workplace culture shock that hits harder than any final exam. Suddenly, the idea of spontaneously declaring a day off for your well-being feels almost… rebellious. Or worse, irresponsible. The lines blur. The relentless pace of professional life often demands an 'always-on' presence, making those crucial moments of pause feel like a luxury you can barely afford, let alone request.
This isn't to say self-care vanishes, but its form undoubtedly changes. The freedom we once enjoyed to hit pause and recalibrate requires a more deliberate, often strategic, approach. It's a weird transition nobody warned us about – this silent expectation that our well-honed resilience from navigating demanding academic environments would seamlessly translate into boundless, uninterrupted productivity. It's okay to feel that shock. It's real. And we're all figuring it out.
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