Do you sometimes just have a bad day because everything is going wrong, or even for no reason at all? Do you struggle to find ways to turn around a bad day?
It surely happens to me. Some days are composed of minor catastrophes piling on top of each other until the only thing I want to do is crawl under my bed and be a cat.
Other times, I’m simply not in a good mood although there is nothing really wrong. This mostly happens when I feel unproductive. Like in between projects, when I don’t have a lot of work to do. I start questioning the sustainability of my business, my life choices in general and just feel like I’m not doing it right.
If you’re feeling like today is just a bad day, there a
Don’t read too much into your feeling
Whenever you’re having a bad day, be it because everything goes wrong or because you just don’t feel like yourself, it’s important not to overanalyse the situation. Bad days happen, and they’re not a reason to give up on anything.
Instead of panicking, getting angry or however you tend to react, it’s better to take a step back and see the situation from the outside. Today is just one day. If yesterday was okay, there is no reason why tomorrow won’t be. All you need to do is get through today as best you can.
Pinpoint the problem
If you’re feeling like everything is going wrong, it’s easy to generalise that impression in your head and feel like a failure. However, most of the times, the reason why you’re having a bad day lies within a couple of specific aspects or events.
Pinpointing these specific aspects, in a journal or in your head, can help you see that things aren’t really that bad.
Maybe your day feels bad because your boss yelled at you, because you accidentally ate something that upset your stomach, and on top of that your cat broke your new headphones. This can be enough to ruin a day, and yet these are all pretty unimportant problems.
Pinpointing what went wrong in a clear way helps put your bad mood into perspective and often reminds you that things aren’t as terrible as they seem.
Do something productive that is not work -related
If you’re in a bad mood because you’re feeling unproductive, finding a useful yet fun activity can quickly improve your bad day.
Whenever I’m in between projects and don’t have that much work to do, I tend to watch a lot of YouTube videos. And while I love doing that, it does make me feel like I’m wasting time (even if the videos are useful… although most of the time they’re not).
In these cases, picking up a book or even doing some chores with music blasting in the background can truly do wonders. Of course, you could also pick up a DIY project or bring flowers to your grandma.
The key is to find productive activities that aren’t work-related but add some sort of value. These can completely turn around a bad day!
Write everything down
If you’re the type of person who loves journaling, writing down everything that goes on in your head can be a true life-saver.
This post is actually me taking my own advice. Since I’ve been having quite a bad day today, I decided to channel my feelings and put them to use in a blog post.
Doing a brain dump on paper truly helps put everything into perspective. And sometimes, you suddenly discover thoughts that you weren’t even aware of.
Writing can be extremely therapeutic, so give it a try to turn around a bad day!
Do something kind for another person
It’s easy to be grumpy on a bad day. But the truth is, it’s no one’s fault that things aren’t going your way.
Whenever you’re in a bad mood, try to pay attention to how you act and be extra kind to others. If you can’t find a way to make yourself feel better, try to make someone else happy.
Prepare dinner for your significant other, write a nice message to a friend… Even a small act of kindness can make someone’s day. And you’ll feel so much better because you created something positive on a bad day!
Socialise if you feel like it
As an introvert, I feel like socialising on a bad day is pretty hit or miss. Sometimes, you’re just not in a mood to deal with people and it’s best to stay home.
But if you feel like you can deal with a bit of social interaction, meeting friends can really lighten your mood.
Talking about anything other than your bad day can take your mind off of it and help cheer you up. And sometimes, it even inspires you to find new solutions to your problems!
Exercise or do yoga
A great way to get rid of frustration is by engaging in a physical activity.
I used to always go running or to the gym when I got annoyed by everything going wrong. There’s just something about exercising that helps you clear your mind.
Plus, when you’re struggling with physical activity, you’re not really able to keep thinking about anything else. Personally, I can’t dwell on anything while I’m in a forearm plank!
Yoga can also be a great way to slow down and calm any anxiety you might have.
Remember that tomorrow is a new day
Oftentimes, you can turn around a bad day by following some of the tips listed above. But if everything fails, just remember that tomorrow is another day!
Everyone has ups and downs, and this bad mood you’re in will pass. Just accept how you’re feeling and be kind to yourself about it.
Do you agree with the tips I gave? What do you do to turn around a bad day? Please let me know in the comments and share this post if you liked it. 🙂
I love doing some short productive tasks when I’m having a bad day. That way it’s easier to find the positive at the end of the day and realize that a day wasn’t that bad after all. It’s usually just a bad few hours but our overanalyzing makes it longer.
That’s so true! It’s always about finding the positive aspects of every situation because things are rarely 100% bad.
I really needed to read this after the last few days! I have been focusing way to much on my work failures. Thank you for the suggestions to work through that.
I’m so glad that you found it helpful!
I love how this post is a mixture of actionable steps and mindset shifts.
Thank you
I’m glad that you liked it!
I wish I found this article yesterday. I had a really bad day. What always helps me to get my mood up is to take a nice long shower or bath and take care of myself. Great article!
That’s a great way to destress, I agree! I hope that you have a great day today!
Some great tips to change your thinking and jumpstart a switch physically as well. Thank you.
These are all great ideas. I find that writing things down or getting out of my head are most beneficial for me, but everyone has to find what works for them.
Great ideas! Bad days can be so draining. Everything seems worse than it is. I find writing definitely helps me to work through my feelings and puts things in perspective.
This is really good advice on how to handle a bad day. Because, let’s face it, we all have them.