Stayed home from work today.

[Aristus]

It’s just getting so exhausting…

Trying to enjoy a little me-time today…

[Totally Tunsie]

1. Enjoy your day, Aristus.

From the sound of some of your posts, you've earned it. Time to regenerate...

[cilla4progress]

2. When does retirement arrive

for you, Aristus?

Soon, I hope...

Enjoy your cozy day there!

[Aristus]

3. I just turned 53.

I can imagine working until age 70.

Regardless of what I can imagine, I want to work until my 401K becomes self-sustaining. It’s going to be a while for that…

[cilla4progress]

5. Here's wishing for you a humane

work schedule and environment!

[secondwind]

4. Have a wonderful day!

[Scrivener7]

6. I have retired, but I used to make a point of taking 3 "mental health" days each year.

I didn't plan them. I would wake up in the morning and know this was one of the days. It was like a surprise gift.

Even so, when I retired I had months worth of unused sick and vacation days. I should have done it more often!

Learn from my mistake!

[mitch96]

17. "mental health" days... that's what we called them.. When you just need to say..

F**k it, I'm not going in today...
m

[Ziggysmom]

7. Since Covid I find I need more mental health days off work. Hard to concentrate with

increased stress. I'll be working till 70 at least; I'm 62 now. As the caretaker for my disabled husband, his health care costs put a big dent in my ability to save. Life is what happens while we're busy making plans.

[Skittles]

19. you know it, Ziggysmom

I am curious if you are able to work from home.

[XanaDUer2]

8. I had to go off work permanently due to stress

And other mental disorders. I feel ya

Have a great day. What do you do?

[Aristus]

10. I'm a Physician Assistant working in primary care.

With a focus on healthcare for the homeless. It has its stresses, to be sure, but on balance, it’s a very rewarding population to serve.

What is stressing me out is a combination of COVID-19 concerns, and the anti-vaxx nuts that show up in its wake, the anti-mask idiocy that has turned “wear your mask up over your nose” into the most frequently repeated phrase I say all day, and now the new sorrow of treating refugees from Afghanistan, and hearing about the horrors they faced getting out.

It’s taking it’s toll on my clinical team…

[XanaDUer2]

11. Take care

[Evolve Dammit]

14. That truly resonates with me. It takes a toll. Have a conversation with the team about taking time.

[hay rick]

20. Do the anti-vaxxers come in with an adversarial attitude?

If so, that must be quite an adjustment from what you were used to. Glad to hear that you serve the homeless.

[Aristus]

21. I get more outright hostility from the anti-maskers.

Patients tend to decline the COVID-19 vaccine the same way they used to decline the flu vaccine, quietly and not yielding to persuasion.

After I’ve addressed all of their stated concerns, they usually end up saying “I just don’t want to”, which means basically “I know you’re right and I’m wrong, but I don’t have the stones to admit it.

Strangely enough, I no longer have to persuade patients to get their flu shot. Nowadays they pretty much come in begging to get it. Why the flu and not COVID in the middle of a pandemic, I don’t know.

[CaptainTruth]

9. Self care is important.

I've done the same a few times, one of the benefits of being self employed with a flexible schedule.

[hibbing]

12. Hang in there

I never used to "fake" sick days, but I have been taking a few mental health days just because I have felt so burned out. I internally get po'd when I see people in stores and elsewhere here where there is a mask mandate, without masks on. It is indicative of our selfish culture, can't imagine what you have to put up with.

Peace

[MyMission]

13. I used to call that a "sick and tired" day

When I had a professional job with paid sick time.
Some called it a mental health day.
I just said I'm sick and tired and need a day off!
Enjoy.

[chillfactor]

15. Good for you

[Moostache]

16. Good for you, hope you get some quality time for yourself.

I reached the conclusion a few years ago that I would no longer be a full participant in the rat race. I do not care if people notice my hours or if I am in the room for certain things any longer.

I hit the point where time with my family and the dwindling number of days before my children are out of the house and on their own is an on-rushing train.

Tomorrow marks 1 year since the passing of my mother at age 75 and following a heroic 18-year fight with cancer before COVID-19 combined with the recurrent cancer to take her from us. I am still incredibly sad about it, gutted by the loss of intimate time to say goodbyes and ease her passing by the restrictions and requirements of a pre-vaccine pandemic ridden America. The loss and the hole it left in my life and the life of my extended family will never heal or be whole again...but life does go on and sadness has largely replaced hatred and anger for me, but more importantly it made me recognize the futility of the rat race and the pointless nature of acquiring material goods beyond a certain threshold of comfort and need.

I won't ever get that final hug and kiss goodbye with my mom, and that ache is almost unbearable at times still, but I also won't ever bat an eyelash about missing something at work to attend to family or personal issues ever again. Our time here is so fleeting and so swift that the only sane way to live is on your own terms and with a focus on the ones in your life that truly matter - close friends and family that lift you up and support you no matter what.

Everyone else and everything else simply does not matter. Never really did.

[Demovictory9]

18. I remember those..recently retired

take care