7 Tips to Recover from a Bad Day
Everybody has days like this.
You wake up feeling okay and then the day unfolds in a mess of frustrating work commutes, falling out with friends, plans going awry…
Let’s discover some ways to counter the stress this can bring up and better prepare you for the future!
Bad days can be very frustrating and seem to occur completely out of nowhere. But, I have some news for you - Sometimes a “bad day” can be creeping up on you and you don’t even know it!
Firstly, let me just say this - We can’t control every last thing in our lives to make sure we don’t suffer the stress it can bring, but something powerful that we can control is our REACTION to these things.
This means that:
There are certain potentially stressful events that crop up more often than we think they do, but sometimes we’re able to handle them more calmly so they don’t stand out. For example, a delayed train has the potential to send us into a stress cycle, but sometimes we are more able to just put our earphones back in or get stuck into our book and carry on.
We have the power to change our reaction to external stress through practices that alter our mindset and ultimately make us calmer and happier!
RELATED POST: 5 QUICK AND EASY DAILY HABITS TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE
Now, I know what you’re thinking…
This is all well and good, Jo. But how does it help me RIGHT NOW? Well, never fear!
I’ve laid out below some of the most effective ways to recover after experiencing a typical “bad day.” Try any of (or all of!) these activities right now to begin feeling better and more able to enjoy the remaining time before sleep.
1. To-done list
Our experience of a bad day may be accompanied with feeling unaccomplished. We might feel as though we wanted to get so much more done than we managed to due to the stress, and this can lead to berating ourselves and questioning our self worth.
Take a moment to write down every task you completed today, no matter how small. You can even draw a checkbox next to each task so you’re able to physically tick it off - Never underestimate the power this holds!
For example:
Went for a walk - Tick!
Fed the cat - Tick!
Answered that tricky email - Tick!
2. Breathing
One thing I like to encourage all my clients to practise regularly is the most basic of all human activities, but can be so powerful. The problem is that, when we’re stressed, we don’t breathe as much. Our breathing becomes shallow and very fast, giving a signal to our body that we’re under threat.
In situations that may occur during a “bad day,” this can lead to us believing that we’re far less able to handle external stress.
The best way to counter this and generally prevent stress getting the better of us in our daily life is to get into the habit of breathing slowly.
Try this:
Breathe in for a count of 4
Breathe out for a count of 6
This can be for a matter of minutes or just a few seconds. Either way, it can make a huge difference to our state of mind and overall health.
3. Writing out resonating words
Type the phrase “feeling words” into a search engine and click on one of the lists that come up. This should be a list of common emotions that everyone experiences from time to time.
Now, write out all the words that resonate with how you’re feeling right now - Angry, Baffled, Crushed… and keep going until you feel you’ve exhausted the list. Physically writing these out can be very effective in helping us process those feelings, however, typing in a computer document can be extremely helpful too!
This may seem counterintuitive, but ignoring negative emotions can mean that we end up carrying them with us. They can contribute to the general stress in our bodies, making us unhappy and less able to be there for our loved ones.
By processing our emotions like this and seeing them listed in front of us, we can more easily separate ourselves from them and they can become more manageable.
4. Gratitude practice
Once you’ve taken the time to process your negative emotions, there couldn’t be a simpler way to begin feeling happier about your life than to show gratitude for the things that you enjoy.
Get these down on paper in any way that works for you. In the past, I’ve focussed on up to 3 things that I feel grateful for, but it can still make a big difference to only write down one thing a day.
It can be “I feel grateful for my family for being there for me” or something as simple as “I feel grateful for nature.” Repeating this activity on a day-to-day basis can teach your mind to appreciate the things you have more regularly. This means it takes far less effort to see the good in our lives and makes us more able to handle situations that don’t go completely to plan.
5. Body stretches
The stress we experience on a “bad day” (or on any day), can build up inside our body, causing aches and pains that feel unexplainable and often go ignored. Taking the time to slowly and gently stretch our muscles can counter this.
A quick online search comes up with many body stretch routines and most only take a few minutes.
The most important thing to remember is to go easy on your body. Breathe through every stretch and move in and out of them with care. This will not only protect you from injury but will also slow the heart rate and send signals to your brain that it’s time to relax.
6. An activity you enjoy
When it comes to reducing stress, after a bad day or anytime, the most effective activities are those we actually enjoy.
Think of something you know you like to do. It could be reading, having a bath, listening to music, drawing, spending mindful time with your family or your pet… Non-screen activities would provide the most benefit, but if it makes you feel good to watch films or play computer games, there’s always opportunity for this too!
Block out some time to do this and make it a priority. Remember, less stress means more energy to do the things you love, to feel productive and to be your best self for the people around you.
7. Plan for next time
As much as I hate to say it, we’ve all had bad days before and we’ll most likely have them again. However, turning any of these activities into regular habits can help to prevent external stress getting the better of us.
Take a look at your schedule for next week and see when you could make time for stress-relieving practices. At first, you’ll need to actively remind yourself to do these things, but over time the right activities will begin to feel natural and effortless.
If you’d like some more ideas of how to better handle stress and look after yourself with more care, patience and positivity, download the completely FREE Stress Less Toolkit below.
Why is this important?
What we’re trying to do with all these activities is to train ourselves to handle external stress in a healthier and more mindful way.
We’re conditioned from birth to look out for the negative signs around us because we need to protect ourselves from threat. The tricky part is that modern life has put us in a position where negativity and stress can reach us so easy; at work, on the news, on social media… and can build up without us even noticing, leading to more bad days.
This is why the best remedy is to actively introduce more positivity and calm in our everyday lives. Even if these feel quite alien to us at first, over time they become more natural and could encourage a calmer and happier state of mind.
Next steps
Doing something new when we’re already feeling rubbish can feel difficult, let alone trying to do it more regularly as a preventative tool. Everyone has busy lives and it’s easy to forget these things amongst our other priorities. Life happens.
My best advice is to block out time to do these things, much like you would if you’re seeing a friend or have a work meeting. Decide when in your day you’d be able to dedicate a few moments to look after your mental wellbeing.
If you like this piece and would like to learn more, you could sign up for my mailing list to receive further advice and your completely FREE Stress Less Toolkit with lots of helpful nutritional and lifestyle tips to limit the effect of stress in your life.
Let me know what you think and if you begin to feel healthier and happier by trying some of the tips in the Stress Less Toolkit!
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These are only some of the possibilities when it comes to dealing with stress. Find out which activities would be right for you by working with a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.