How To Stop A Bad Day Turning Into A Bad Week

I woke up this Monday morning and wanted to pull the duvet back over my head and sleep for another twelve hours. It was just one of those days; I knew it was going to be a bad day from the get-go.

…And I was right, one little thing after another — until I found myself in stress tears at three o’clock pulling my hair out and using every last bit of my willpower trying not to crawl back into bed (one of the few negatives that come with working from home). Nothing absolutely terrible happened, but enough small, trivial things, that all accumulated, made me want to give up, call it a day and try again tomorrow.

In the past, Mondays like these often led to bad, unproductive weeks, which would sometimes lead to a couple of bad months with a lack of motivation, little or no exercising and even my social life suffering as a result of my bad mood and grouchiness. It may sound a little dramatic, but letting my good habits slip just slightly could really make such a big difference for me.

But, as I’m prone to the odd day like this I’ve developed a few tricks to stop bad days turning casting a dark shadow over my entire week.

Keep communication to a minimum (only when you’re in a bad mood).

I know this may sound a little weird… you’re maybe thinking that speaking to people will surely make you feel better?

But the thing is, when you’re in a bad mood, you’re more likely to pass that bad mood onto others, so you’ll only be prolonging that negative energy in the atmosphere for even longer.

Try keeping your communication limited to when it’s absolutely necessary or try to speak to people who really understand you, know how to handle you when you’re in a bad mood and who know how to actually cheer you up. Not like those annoying co-workers who just tell you to ‘smile more’ all day…

Do something creative.

Some of my best creativity flows when I’m in a bad mood or feeling angry about something. I always feel so much better after pouring my feelings out by drawing, painting or writing.

I will certainly have to go back and edit my writing or polish a piece of art when I’m in a better mood, as my attention to small details goes out the window when I’m frustrated…

But this is a great outlet to get all of my frustrations out as quickly as possible. I strongly recommend writing as it’s something anyone can do and it’s a great practice to get into to overcome a bad day; organising your thoughts really helps you deal with everything that you’re going through and will help you clear your head for a fresher start tomorrow.

Make a list of the things you’re thankful for.

This works for improving your mood most days and it is a really easy, beneficial daily practice to pick up. It works especially well when you’re having one of those days when you start to let the little things get to you.

It might be a little difficult to think of things at first, but you could be thankful for the simplest things in your life; the breakfast you had this morning, the coffee you drank on your way into work, the park close to your house where you walk every day.

We’re guilty in our busy, modern lives of not taking time to realise all of the remarkable things we have.

Meditate.

Another true favourite of mine.

Taking just a few minutes to centre yourself and take a break from all of the mayhem around you is an amazing way to improve your mood.

There are some incredible apps out there like Balance and Headspace which are great for super short meditations that will help you feel present and focus and whatever you need to focus on that day.

This is another super quick practice that’s easy to slide into your daily routine — I like to do it at night before bed and the first thing in the morning. I will often do a little 3-minute meditation in the afternoon if I’m having a particularly hard day.

So, I hope you’re starting to realise that self-care is crucial for happiness and once you have looked after yourself, completing all of life’s tasks will become easier and easier. So, the next time you have a bad day, follow these easy tips to help you get through it and hopefully your mood will be lifted to carry you through the rest of the week.