Many of us dream of taking a day off of work, and yet, most of us don’t. Requesting time off can cause anxiety, even if the request for taking time off is completely acceptable.

Whether you’ve just started a new job or you have a supervisor who discourages taking time off, you should never feel guilty about requesting a day off of work, especially if you’re taking a day for one of these reasons.

You Don’t Feel Well

COVID-19 has changed the way we think about taking time off, especially when it comes to taking time off due to an illness. It has prompted changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) when in the past, changes to the law have been slow.

You should never feel bad about taking a day off of work when you don’t feel well, especially if you have the sick time to take. Even if you think it’s just a cold, it’s better to take a day to rest so you’re more productive when you do return to work, and it will prevent you from getting everyone else at work sick too.

This also applies if someone you care for is unwell. If one of the kids is sick, or if your spouse isn’t feeling well and needs to go to the doctor, you should stay home without feeling any guilt.

There’s an Emergency

In a perfect world, we would always know what to expect. However, the universe has other plans, which means emergencies can and do happen.

Just a few examples of emergencies that can happen include:

• The death of a family member
• An auto accident
• A serious injury
• Emergency surgery
• A broken down vehicle

Don’t feel like you should just power through the day. If a family member died and they’re on your mind, it’s much better to take the day than it is to try and focus at your desk.

You also shouldn’t feel like you have to tell your boss exactly what’s going on if it makes you uncomfortable. Simply let them know there has been a family emergency that requires you to take a half day or full day off.

You Want to Be There for a Special Milestone

There are a lot of rules when it comes to figuring out how much notice to give when quitting your job. There can be a lot of rules when it comes to taking a day off too. If you’re taking the day to be there for a special milestone, it’s important to follow those rules.

If you’re sick or experiencing an emergency, it’s perfectly fine to call your boss and let them know you won’t be in the office for the day. If you want to see your child’s music concert, or if you want to take a day trip in honor of your anniversary, you shouldn’t call your boss hours or minutes before you’re due in the office. Give at least a week’s notice, but it’s even better if you take time off as soon as you know you’ll need it.

There’s an Opportunity You Don’t Want to Pass Up

Don’t let potentially important opportunities pass you by because you’re stuck in the office. You can and should schedule job interviews while you’re working, and you shouldn’t feel bad about it.

Other opportunities matter too. Chaperoning a child’s field-trip or participating in a once-in-a-lifetime volunteer event can also be good reasons to take a day off of work.

It’s Time for a Mental Health Day

Are you having trouble concentrating at work? Or maybe you’ve been more stress out lately? If life feels like it’s closing in all around you and you just need a break, you should take one!

Taking a mental health day can be a little tricky, especially compared to other reasons for taking time off. It’s important to understand your company’s policy on mental health days before you take one.

If the company you work for supports mental health days, you can mention it as the reason for taking time off. If not, or if you have a supervisor who looks down on it, it’s perfectly fine to take a sick day and simply tell your boss that you don’t feel well.

It can be hard to take a day off of work without feeling guilty about it, but you shouldn’t! Life isn’t all about work, which means there are plenty of completely acceptable reasons to take a day whenever you need one.