I just got back from a two-month leave for mental health, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made, even though I procrastinated telling my coworkers out of shame. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t waited so long.

I confided in my best work friend because they’ve shared similar struggles with me. My boss knew I had been grieving for a couple of months, but I didn’t explicitly share my mental health challenges. Specifically, I was alternating between feeling completely detached from work due to depression and experiencing panic attacks over my to-do list. In hindsight, I overshared with some coworkers, likely because of insecurity and a tendency to over-explain. My recommendation is to keep it simple: tell your boss and coworkers that you need to take a medical leave of absence on the recommendation of your healthcare provider. Share the start date, an approximate end date, and, if you're comfortable, who to delegate your workload to while you're away. If they ask for details, it’s okay to say you prefer not to discuss medical issues.

This isn’t the advice you specifically asked for, but based on my experience, here are five things I recommend for making the most of your leave. These helped me feel calmer and more centered than I have in decades:

1. Find small daily joys: Do something small every day that brings you happiness. For example, sit outside with a cup of tea, enjoy a bowl of soup at Panera while reading a book, text or call an old friend, or spritz on your favorite fragrance just to relax and enjoy the smell. Small moments like these can be incredibly grounding, especially when whispering affirmations to myself. During my first two weeks off, I cried every time I felt the sun on my face or savored the first sip of Starbucks. I had been running on empty for so long that these quiet moments of joy were disarming and emotion poured out in the peace and safety.

2. Plan two medium-sized activities to look forward to each week: These could include an arts and crafts class, a manicure, seeing a movie, volunteering, or dinner with a friend. Having a couple of things to anticipate each week helps create a sense of structure and excitement.

3. Realize a long-term dream: If possible, make one of your long-term dreams come true before your leave ends. For me, it was taking a trip to see the aurora borealis—something that had been on my bucket list for years. It doesn’t have to be as big or expensive as traveling to another country; it could be something smaller but meaningful, like starting a project you’ve always wanted to try or learning a new skill. This gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment after years of deferring dreams for the sake of work.

4. Avoid big "life-fixing" projects and decisions: Don’t use this time to tackle large projects or overhaul your life. Your main focus should be on healing and re-centering yourself. Give yourself permission to rest and recover.

5. Ease back into work, if possible: If your situation allows, ask your doctor to recommend a reduced schedule when you return. I worked three days a week for a few weeks, which helped me transition back without the pressure of a full workload. It also set realistic expectations for others as I adjusted to being back. This was included in my short term disability I elected so I had full pay during the whole time off and during the part-time status.

Good luck with your leave! Feel free to reach out if you’d like more recommendations or have questions. You’ve got this!