....to do a sickie tomorrow because my house is an absolute tip, I'm beyond exhausted & I need to pluck my eyebrows?

[Daisychainsandleather]

Evening all!
Help me make a decision if you will....
Single mum with very little support (none actually) ....
House is a tip! Can't find anything, have paperwork to sort out, really tired, loads of washing to do, the list is endless and I spent all day today on the verge of tears because I'm a bit stressed... (A lot stressed...)
I reckon I can get on top of everything in a day while kids at nursery/school.
Non eventful admin day tomorrow. No impact on colleagues....
AIBU to do a sickie? Haven't done one all year.... Oh yeah, eyebrows looking hideous!

Also, as someone who's struggled with long-term mental illness, I feel very irritated by the idea that feeling stressed about a messy house and a lack of time is "mental illness" requiring a "mental health day".

No wonder there's still a stigma to mental illness when people think it's just feeling a bit stressed.

YANBU - I think this shows the constant disparity between physical ill health and mental ill health.

It's ok to take a day off for D&V but not because you are not coping, and close to tears because you are so stressed.

I think you will work much better on Thursday and Friday having got your head in the right place tomorrow.

If that's the sort of arrangement you have, fine. If not, not fine. Presumably you don't need to lie about being sick when you're not.

Do it you won't regret it

Agree with Elizabeth. Completely agree people can be as ill with their mh as with their physical health. Just not convinced this is an example.

Won't they notice if you have eye brows done while supposedly ill?

Yabu.

Don't do it. Too dishonest.

Will you get paid if you do a sickie? It sounds like all the stress will make you ill if you don't have a day off! BTW, water infections are always a good sickie to have (so they say!)

Being stressed is valid. It's not being mentally ill but it does contribute to lack of effectiveness in the workplace. Presenteeism costs. A day off to get all your shit in one sock to concentrate better at work and be more effective.

Do it!

I did last week. I'd been up with poorly children two nights on the trot and felt beyond tired. I actually think I would have been useless at work. It was lovely to go back to bed, catch up on some stuff and then watch Netflix in my pj's all afternoon.

I think exhaustion should be a valid enough reason. One day won't hurt. In fact take two, it'll be more believable

Surely op will have done her brows tonight, only to wake up "ill" tomorrow? I don't see the problem with that tbh.
plus surely as she seems to be able to be diagnosed over the Internet with stress or pre-stress we can prescribe a nice spa day with treatments?

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

I'm flaming you OP.

I wouldn't do it. It's dishonest. I find it especially dishonest of you as it sounds as though you are trying to justify it to yourself. Surely if you can plan to spend the day catching up on chores then you can go to work. I'm old and I've never ever taken a sickie and neither has my DH. I know a lot of people do it but it doesn't mean it's ok.

One a year is fine and my team know they can call and say they need a day, there's no need to make up a random illness, as long as you don't take the piss - but if you're the type to take the piss you're probably a shit employee anyway.

I think OP has no idea what mental health issues are. being stressen about a messy house and paperwork and undone eyebrows makes a complete mockery mental health issues. Cannot believe some of the responses.

I don't think you will be pulling a sickie? You've obviously feeling overwhelmed. If calling in sick for one day alleviates just a tiny bit of that stress? Then you'll return on Thursday more equipped to do your job.

Call in sick.

Oh do it. We all need a sickie every now and again.

Unless you want to win the 💯 attendance price which is s total wank prize.

Grace fwiw I thought your dh should have taken the day off for you. Couldn't believe the 'I've got 3 sets of twins, no support, dh works away for 11 months of the year but I still crack on with it' bullshit posts.

If you can't ask your dh for help and expect it it's a very sad state of affairs.

Of course you shouldn't.

What makes people think they are entitles to the odd (non) sick day when ever they feel like it.

Hope your boss isn't on MN.

I think, if you're very stressed, then why not. I think if you've not had a sick day all year, and it genuinely won't affect your colleagues, AND you get no help whatsoever with your children, then these are circumstances in which it's ok. I think the naysayers are perhaps underestimating the degree of exhaustion that can be reached when you have zero help. I'm seeing this as a mental health issue, because everyone deserves to feel well rested and like they've got things organised at least once in a while. Other threads will be full of "my MIL is taking over" or pp will be saying "tell DH to have the kids while you do XYZ..." in this case, the OP has no family to rely on, so no time to herself whatsoever, and is feeling totally overwhelmed. Have a day off OP, just don't make a habit of it I mean don't tell mumsnet

Do it. Everyone needs a mental health day. And to the poster who is saying they have worked through sickness, please don't do that. It's not good for you or your colleagues.

crazyoldcatlady I think being an overwhelmed single parent can definitely have an effect on your mental health! I'm a single parent and I got to a point a couple of years ago where I was crying most days, feeling exhausted and unable to cope, and ended up pulling a 'sickie' as I literally could not stop crying all the way to work- I was no good to anyone like that. Went to the doctor who sent me for counselling, which helped a lot. So, I guess maybe mental health issues is the wrong word but I think the effects of anxiety and stress are often underestimated.

What makes people think they are entitles to the odd (non) sick day when ever they feel like it.

Umm - mental wellbeing? And OP says she hasn't taken a day off all year - so it's hardly a flippant decision.

I'm sorry I don't think I got the mental health thing across very well.
I have felt this stressed out before & it's spiralled into GP trips to discuss depression/mental exhaustion/not coping well at all/counselling. For me, prevention is way better than cure.
It's not just a messy house (although that doesn't help) there's been a lot happening lately with an EA ex, dis functional family & zero support from any of them. Didn't mean to offend anyone. You're all raising really valid points. So thanks.

People: take proper breaks. Lunch breaks and all. Take sick days if you are sick. Mental health or otherwise.

Your employer's are not going to reward you for constantly working through ill health or lunch and it creates an unhealthy working culture if everyone starts thinking they have to do it.