Salvaging a Bad Day

Inside: No one is immune from having a bad day. So how do you salvage the rest of it? Some thoughts. . .

Last week I had a string of bad days. Not your average run of the mill bad days, but the kind that really push you to your limits. Sick human, sick kitty, mood swings, headaches, and other issues I don’t wish to discuss. Add to that a project deadline. And absolutely no motivation.

Such days used to blindside me. While I won’t say riding out these awful times has become smooth sailing, I have learned some coping strategies. Let me share a few.

Adjust Your Day

Ever see that old commercial with the sick people who are trying to get through a day at the office and the phone is ten times bigger than normal and the typewriter is huge? That’s how I feel when things go south. Overwhelmed is an understatement. Tasks I’d normally plow through become magnified to the point of feeling impossible.

That’s when I slow everything down and figure out what absolutely must be done. Of those to-dos–and the list is as short as I can make it–I break them down into ridiculously simple steps. I postpone the rest.

Ask for Help

For some people, this seems like an obvious step, but for some of us, asking for help is difficult. We struggle with not wanting to burden someone else, though if the tables were turned we’d be more than happy to offer our assistance. Within the last five years I’ve grown in this area by realizing that people care about me and want to help me, too.

One particularly bad day last week I had supper figured out, but the more I thought about what I had to do, the more it seemed daunting. I texted Mike and asked him to pick up some wings and salads from the deli, and it was such a relief not to have to cook that night. Using my words to communicate my needs and feelings doesn’t come easy, but I’m learning.

Apply a Generous Portion of Self-care

This is another concept that I’ve only embraced within the last several years. Women from previous generations, including mine, were taught to give, give, give–and then wondered why we ended up burned out and snapping at our loved ones! Yet taking care of ourselves, tending to our needs, is every bit as important as nurturing our families. Self-care is something I practice daily–from making sure I’m taking my vitamins to getting exercise to spending time doing things I like.

But what does that have to do when faced with a bad day?

Plenty! These are the times when self-care is critical. It’s good to be prepared ahead of time for both regular busy days and bad days with a list of comforting, life-affirming, and soul-nurturing activities, some nonnegotiable, others chosen. Here are some of the ways I practice self-care:

• the basics–rest, eating right, vitamins
• reading my Bible
• naps
• watching classic television
• coffee
• taking a walk
• petting my kitties
• talking to someone I trust
• gardening
• praying
• spending time with people
• diffusing essential oils that lift my spirit
• reading
• treats (usually that work with my diet)
• lighting a scented candle

The best way to begin practicing self-care is to make your own list.

While there’s nothing particularly profound in how I salvage a bad day, what’s different now is that I’m proactive. I don’t simply react. A little preparation and thought time can, at the very least, make a bad day brighter.

How do you handle a bad day? Tell us about it in the comments.

Related posts:

Finding my Pace: Slowing Down to Enjoy Life

The Useful Art of Daydreaming

Starting the Long and Sentimental Project

How to Be a Peacemaker