Last Updated on August 15, 2020 by Michael Brockbank
We all wake up on the wrong side of the bed in the morning. Usually, it’s to step on a cat or two before tripping out of the bedroom. However, starting a bad day doesn’t mean it has to end that way. In fact, recovering from a bad day is quite a bonus to self-pride and accomplishment.
Whether you’re having a bad day at work or simply cannot seem to get your morning started, it often seems like it will never end. In reality, you’re probably the one keeping yourself in this negative funk.
Stay with me here…I don’t mean to offend you.
You have the power to change the outlook of your day. It’s all a matter of whether or not you want to.
Here are 10 ways I try to recover a bad day when things don’t seem to work out at all.
1. Don’t Dwell on the Negative
The thing to keep in mind is to not dwell on the negative. Yes, the day started out rotten. However, you need to move past it if you want to recover. In many situations, you can’t make changes anyway. For example, there’s really nothing you can do if you wake up three hours late.
It’s imperative for you to go about your day without throwing thoughts back. Don’t think of it as a bad day in the making. Instead, realize it was merely a bad start. Keep your mind in the here-and-now and look forward, not backward.
2. Accomplish 3 Goals for the Day
Set yourself three goals you want to accomplish. By feeling productive, you can change your own mind regarding a bad day. It’s all about delivering the sense of accomplishment.
For instance, my day didn’t start that spectacular. And if I am honest with myself, it’s my fault for not going to bed until close to two. So, my three goals include finishing this blog post, making my bed and washing the dishes.
Why is this important? Because many people often dwell on being non-productive in the day. Accomplishing something may stave those feelings of worthlessness.
3. Use Music to Inspire
Music can do a lot for people. It evokes emotions in humans, which often amplifies our moods.
I’ll never understand why people like to listen to sad music after things like a break-up.
I get inspired by the theme to “Captain America.” Not to sound like a geek, but I feel somewhat heroic after listening to the music regardless of circumstance. It’s all part of creating a superhero complex, I suppose.
The bottom line is music has potential to change your mindset during a bad day.
4. Slow Down
One thing a lot of people get sucked into is trying to rush when things go awry. This has potential to create all kinds of additional problems, especially since your mind isn’t in the game to begin with.
If you’re worried about time, realize it’s already gone. The best you can do is make use of what you have left of the day. If you try to rush to complete projects, you’re more likely to make mistakes. Which then leads to spending time fixing them.
Sure, I am up three hours later than normal. However, I don’t want my work quality to suffer because I am trying to recover the lost time. It’s gone. Now, I just need to focus on the rest of the day.
5. Eat Healthier
A lot of people will have a bad day thanks to an improper diet. Food plays a huge part of emotions, and eating poorly often leads to a poor mood.
I can speak from experience regarding this aspect. When I overeat junk food, I am more susceptible to depression, anger and anxiety.
I’m not saying that eating an apple will instantly change your opinion of a bad day. However, nutrition often corrects many of the mental problems we have as humans. This is especially true if you’re suffering from a vitamin deficiency.
6. Get in 20 Minutes of Exercise
When you’re in a negative mood because of a bad day, it’s good to get in some exercise. This is because of the impact workouts have on your mental state. In fact, many therapists prescribe exercise to deal with depression, anger and anxiety.
Getting the heart beating is a way to cause the brain to release “pleasure” hormones as well as provide oxygen to the organ. This improves the way you think and feel in general.
In my instance, a regular routine of exercise has been more beneficial to control depression than lithium.
Altering the way you see the day in a healthy manner keeps your mind away from dwelling on the negative.
7. Focus on the Rest of the Day
What happened a few hours ago is long gone. Don’t sit and dwell on it as there is still more to the day. And if you’re reading this in the middle of the night, there’s always tomorrow.
The future isn’t written yet. Use the past to influence better decisions.
Case in point, I lost three hours this morning. Sure I won’t get that time back, but that doesn’t mean I should surrender the day. I’ll have to sacrifice a few minor things to make sure I get my work done. And you can bet I will focus on getting to bed on time tonight.
8. Force Yourself to Be Productive
Once you accomplish something, you may just get in the mood to keep going. Even if you don’t really want to, achieving something has potential to spark productivity in you even during a bad day.
I could have given up trying to get this blog post out. But I refuse to let a bad day stop me from maintaining an otherwise good schedule. I’ll just have to watch less YouTube later and focus more on the important things.
9. Vent in a Journal
I don’t journal as often as I used to, but it’s still a good way to vent when no one else is around. Personally, I find it quite relaxing and often come to solutions to problems as I am writing the words.
For example, can you guess that I started my day off in a bad way? Creating this blog post has been quite helpful and I am reclaiming a sense of sanity. In many ways, my blogs are just as effective when it comes to venting as hand writing in an actual book.
The only difference is that anyone can read this blog post.
10. Meditate
Meditation is often key to relaxing and relieving stress. When you’re faced with a bad day, why not give it a try. By relaxing the body, mind and spirit, you can re-center yourself and approach problems with a more clear mind.
The best thing about meditation is that you can do it virtually anywhere. Find a comfortable place to sit, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. You don’t know how refreshing it can be until you give it a try.
Reclaim a Bad Day
You don’t have to settle on having a bad day. Choose to make it something better. Wallowing in the past only serves to create stress. Make the choice to reclaim the day. Control your emotions; don’t let them control you.
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