I don’t really disagree with any of your points here, some of them may not apply to me but everyone is different.

However, I feel like the term “mental health” is misused in this context.

There are serious conditions that can affect a persons brain which I would label as disease. They generally manifest themselves via severe loss of memory or cognitive function and an inability to perceive certain fundamental features of the physical reality around you the same way others do (e.g. hallucinations).

Being sad or stressed or anxious are not mental health issues, they are just normal occurrences. They are to mental health what a paper-cut, zit, bruise or mild allergic reaction is to physical health.

Which is not to say that you shouldn’t take care of your state of mind. Especially if your use your mind to work. Much like an athlete should make sure his body is always in top-notch shape, an engineer or scientist or sales person should make sure his mind is always in top-notch condition .

I completely agree with taking a day off because you are feeling depressed or tired. Because, quite frankly, you can do more in 2–3 hours if you are on a flow than you can in 12 hours if you’re working at sub-optimal mental capacity.

But calling that a “sick day” rather than a “day off” can lead people to a dangerous mindset. It can lead them to associate a completely normal feeling with a disease.

It’s not a sign of an “unhealthy” mind to feel angry or depressed or stressed or anxious. The world is not a perfect place. Meaningful human interactions are usually rare and fleeting. Life is fragile and finite, inexistence is eternal and scary. It’s NORMAL to feel that way.

Which is not to say that it’s optimal for your work to feel that way.

But we shouldn’t equate “mental health” with “being as productive at your job as possible”… that seems like a very twisted path to walk.