Have you ever had a day when it seems like the world is out to get you? When you just go through one bad thing after another? When things go wrong no matter what you do? Don’t Worry! We all do. Everyone has good days and bad days. But, how you choose to respond to a bad day will determine if it is going to be just one bad day or a series of bad days. A bad day doesn’t mean you should just give up. It has been said that “every cloud has a silver lining”, so you can definitely accomplish something worthwhile, no matter how bad of a day you are experiencing. Remember, there is always a lesson in every struggle!
Here are some simple tips to help you survive a bad day and make the most of it!
- Don’t make a bad day even worse. Complaining, overeating, yelling at a coworker or loved one, or getting intoxicated are just a few ways to potentially make a bad day worse. Why throw gasoline on the fire? Just stay low and let the storm pass. Tomorrow is a new day and for all you know it might even be your best day ever.
- It could have been worse. Maybe your boss hates your report, your children are bugging the hell out of you, your client is yelling at you and your domestic help hasn’t shown up at work! No matter how bad your day is, it could be a lot worse. And many are faced with far worse each and every day. Don’t whine about how terrible your life is or how frustrated you are. It is tempting to pick up the phone and tell 10 friends about how miserable you are feeling but that will only add to your stress and definitely won’t make you feel any better.
- Don’t make this day a story of your life. Remember that it’s just one day. You can handle one bad day. You’ve already successfully survived many in the past. Finish the day but look forward to tomorrow. One good thing about hitting the rock bottom is that things can only get better from there, right?
- Don’t make any important decisions. A bad day isn’t the best time to decide to quit your job, give up on your dream, or end a relationship. All of those things can wait until your mood and circumstances have normalized. Again, avoid doing anything that can make your terrible day significantly worse.
- Do something that excites you. Just treat yourself. Decide to get away for the weekend or buy that new iPod you’ve been eyeing for the last few months. Give yourself something to look forward to in the near future.
- Identify the lesson. Just reflect and see if in any way you may have contributed in creating your bad day? Could your rough day have been prevented? Can you learn anything from this experience? A rough day isn’t so bad if you learned something useful from it. Make the most of it.
- Unless you are literally underwater, breathing is always a good idea to relieve tension and regain control of your emotions. Just breathe and get your work done. Completing everything that needs to be done is more challenging when everything seems to be going wrong, but you will feel more satisfied at the end of the day if it wasn’t a complete loss.
- Take a power nap. Sometimes you can reset your day and your brain by taking a quick nap. Maybe you’ll see your situation in a new light. A power nap also provides a needed break.
- Stay Busy. When you’re experiencing a bad day, focus on completing the tasks on your calendar. Being busy will keep your mind from taking you on a downward emotional spiral.
Most importantly, avoid using a bad day as an excuse to do something stupid or you might find that it can get worse. Follow these strategies and you’ll get through your rough days in the best possible way.
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” -Haruki Murakami
