DMARGE exclusively spoke to Men’s Performance Coach, Mike Campbell, who says men struggling with their mental health should feel more comfortable taking time off work, just like singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes recently did.
Just over two weeks ago, Shawn Mendes – the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter best known for his songs Stitches and Treat You Better – took to social media to announce that he had cancelled all upcoming tour dates in North America, the UK and Europe. The 24-year-old wrote, “At this time, I have to put my health as my first priority.”
Many applauded Mendes for prioritising his mental and physical health and for being so transparent about it. Like, seriously transparent about it; the In My Blood singer even told TMZ three days ago that he’s “taking a lot of time just, like, doing therapy.”
And it got us thinking. Should more men take a page out of Mendes’ book and quit their jobs to look after their mental health? DMARGE exclusively spoke to Men’s Performance Coach, Mike Campbell to get a professional’s perspective on Mendes cancelling his tour.
“Shawn [Mendes] taking a break from this tour is a big deal. On the one hand, he has thousands of people depending on him, [which] must be a tough thing to carry and weigh up. But for his own personal wellbeing, it was clearly the right choice. However, it also supports other men in seeing that honouring struggle and poor health of any sort can be done without shame.”
Mike Campbell
And as for whether other men should follow Mendes’ lead, Mike recommends that men should just be open with their boss if they’re struggling with mental health issues. Mike also believes that men don’t necessarily have to quit but should definitely consider taking some time off if they need it.
“Should men quit their job? Maybe. However, we do need to consider our responsibilities, and so if quitting added further pressure and stress, that might not be a wise idea. I can suggest having an open and honest conversation with a boss or employer about your situation and possibly simply asking for some time. And while that might feel terrifying, I suggest the way to approach it is to ask for their support in something that is very important to you and impactful to your work.”
“I’ll say this too, Shawn [Mendes] hasn’t quit his job but stopped a part of his role temporarily. I think that becomes an easier step for some men to take. Quitting might seem easier than a hard conversation, but those conversations are often not as bad as we build them up to be beforehand. And the result might be the perfect situation.”
Mike Campbell
However, there are many men who never take sick leave – you know the type; he could be bleeding profusely or practically on his death bed and he’ll still pull up to the office eager to please. For those men who rarely take sick days off work, Mike has some incredible advice and strongly encourages them to prioritise their health (whether it be mental or physical) over their job.
“There is no end-of-life award for the man who suffered in silence the most and turned up to work the most when he was ill and best served to take a day or two off. There is nothing noble in it, yet we still think we have to push on through.”
“Taking a day here and there is not all of a sudden becoming a lazy prick.”
Mike Campbell
“Being able to reconcile that and allowing yourself to have a day, knowing the work will still be there, the company will (likely) still go on and it will be ok, is often needed to give ourselves permission. The world won’t end nor will you be seen as weak for having a sick day.”
We here at DMARGE completely agree and think more men should prioritise their mental health. And if that means taking some time off work à la Shawn Mendes, so be it. Go forth and chuck a few sickies gentlemen.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, please contact Beyond Blue, Lifeline, Suicide Call Back Service, MensLine Australia or see your GP for help.
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