Lazy Day 2021 – Part 1 – Did you take a leave today ? Bad corporate culture won’t promote this !

I bet this topic is something which is of immense interest for most people working in the corporates. An issue which probably occupies a lot of time and consumes a lot of energy. Something which probably has a separate WhatsApp group for, obviously with the entire team but without the leads. All this because the topic is so so interesting and yet would be considered quite taboo in the conventional setup of corporate industry. And the topic is about taking breaks or leaves from work for the reason of mental health. Raise your hand honestly if you are one of those people who has mentioned on the leave request that you were not in a mood to work or you need a personal break. Because something is not working well in your personal life, or if a person has had a breakup or maybe a disappointing performance at some competitive exam. We may take the leave and some may even mention to the peers that they are feeling low, but then the official reason would be a sick leave to avoid much fuss on the topic.

Also Read: All my posts on Mental Health

Why do we need those coverups ? Is our holistic well-being not a matter of concern ? Some people would even avoid taking such a leave or speaking up about their own requirements. And this is very incorrect !! It is probably doing injustice to ourselves, if we do not take the adequate amount of mental breaks. Most of us would have learnt the hard way in the recent COVID times that the lack of mental breaks starts taking a toll on possibly everything around us. Be it productivity, be it health or anything else. And this is something that also leads to negative thoughts that clutter the mind.

Also Read: 5 things that help in crisis times

Lockdowns have shown an increase in the number of mental harassment cases, suicides and criminal activities. Now one may say that the criminal activities have a lot more that goes behind. But then a part of it is also the negativity that stems out of too much stress and a lesser happiness quotient. Mind you, stress kills in more ways than one. The negativity, the pressure does hamper the clarity of thoughts and the joys of life for sure. At the same time, it is not a good thing in the long term. Because it finds a link to the diseases such as hypertension, or heart diseases.

When we care enough or may be too much for our office work, our jobs and our responsibilities, then we should also take the effort about taking care of our health, both mentally and physically. Because our health is the biggest and most important project we have at hand. All this sedentary lifestyle is more and more a risk. It could sound like a very heavy topic for lazy day. But then stress and sedentary lifestyle is a real killer.

Also Read: How sedentary lifestyle kills

Coming back to this lovely concept of Lazy Day. It is something that started way back in the year 1984 and is probably one of those corporate secrets that is never spoken about in the open. That is because it promotes the idea of taking a break or a leave on the 10th of August. The entire concept of Lazy Day is for the overworked people, to take a day off, on the grounds of mental health. I know the people who promote bad culture in the corporates are gonna hate me for this part of awareness. But then some things have to begin somewhere and someday.

Also Read: Easy way to keep healthy in today’s world

I hear about more and more people, especially in the corporates who find their relief in a cloud of smoke or a shot of alcohol. Does it not link to the mental health status ? It’s okay if someone even get furious on this. Get furious, take a break, feel better and then come back to thank me for this part of awareness. I have spent about 6 years in the corporate world and this is something I talk partly from my personal experience and partly from the observations as I worked.

I used to be stressed too, but I never tasted alcohol or never tried smoking. Even if some of my colleagues did to some extent, as a way out from the stress. It might sound like blowing one’s own trumpet but then there are ways that are not harmful to health and we should probably try those. Too much of a workload was adding undue kilos to my weight and then this was a thing that I was worried about. Lack of mental breaks does make a person think about addictions as an escape route and that is insane !!

Also Read: The worst gift of the Corporate Industry !! I bet you will agree !

My previous podcast as well as the article was about Lung Cancer, something that this corporate culture is gifting to more and more people. Thanks to the stress levels and lack of mental breaks !! And it was a very emotional note, because I am a Cancer Warrior and I know how hell breaks loose for someone who gets the disease. While luck does play a role, as in my case of Lymphoma (A type of blood cancer), but then we need a lot of corrections in our lifestyle, in our way of thinking.

Link to my previous blog post is here.

All of us need to be more considerate and talk more openly about taking regular mental breaks and yes the higher management has to be open to embrace the topic as well. Not only mental breaks help recharge the productivity levels, but then the fact that a happy environment would probably mean a more loyal employee base. A person made to work extra just for the money sake will look for someone who pays more or someone who gives lesser work in the same pay. Which means lesser stay at the organization. Yet I see many organizations or the management officials resorting to high workloads. Too much of work and then a booze party with unlimited drinks is what the trend seems like and yes, sadly many people fall a prey to this culture.