Topic
Mental health & burnout
Burnout, stress leave, mental-health days — the posts below cover the statutory protections that apply (ADA, FMLA, equivalent rules abroad), how to plan a return-from-leave, and the policy and personal questions around using PTO for mental health.
11 articles
Articles in this topic
- Strategy
Planning Leave Around a Senior Pet's End-of-Life Care
End-of-life pet care is rarely a single day. The decline often runs weeks or months, with anticipatory grief, vet appointments, the day-of euthanasia, and a recovery period that follows. Here is how to plan leave through that arc.
2026-05-2613 min - Strategy
Law Firm Leave Strategy: Billable Hours, Trial Schedules, and Partner Track
BigLaw associates burn out partly because they cannot figure out how to take vacation without losing billable credit. Here is how billable hours, trial blackouts, and partner track actually interact with PTO.
2026-05-229 min - Strategy
Neurodivergent Workers: Protecting Your Leave and Mental Health
Neurodivergent workers often spend PTO on what should be accommodations. Here is how ADHD, autistic, and anxious workers can protect their leave for actual rest.
2026-05-029 min - Strategy
Grief Leave Beyond Bereavement: Miscarriage, Pet Loss, and Anticipatory Grief
Standard bereavement covers a parent or spouse for three to five days. Real grief is wider than that. Here's where the law and policy are catching up -- and where they aren't.
2026-04-1411 min - Strategy
Mental Health Days: Legitimacy, Legal Protection, and Employer Rights
Mental health days are real, common, and increasingly protected. Here's what counts as one, when sick leave applies, what employers can ask, and where the law actually stands.
2026-04-1411 min - Strategy
Returning to Work After Mental Health Leave: A Practical Guide
The leave is the easier part. Returning to work after a mental health absence requires planning, accommodations, and a clear-eyed view of your legal protections.
2026-04-1412 min - Strategy
Sabbatical for Burnout: When to Take One and How to Negotiate It
When two weeks off is not enough. A practical guide to sabbaticals for burnout recovery -- when to take one, how to negotiate one, and how to make sure it actually works.
2026-04-1412 min - Strategy
Therapy Appointments During Work Hours: Your Options
Most therapists keep weekday hours that don't fit a 9-to-5 calendar. Here are the practical and legal options for fitting weekly therapy into your work schedule.
2026-04-1411 min - Strategy
The Freelancer's Guide to Creating Your Own Holidays
No PTO? No problem. Freelancers and contractors can use public holiday windows to take time off without losing clients. Here's the strategy.
2026-04-086 min - Strategy
The Hidden Cost of Unused PTO: You're Leaving More Than Rest on the Table
American workers forfeit 768 million vacation days a year. Here's what that costs in dollars, health, and productivity -- and why planning is the fix.
2026-04-086 min - Strategy
PTO Strategy for Remote Workers: Why You Need It More, Not Less
Remote workers take fewer vacation days than office workers. Here's why that's a mistake, and how to plan PTO when you can work from anywhere.
2026-03-274 min
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