How to Survive a Bad Day - The Muse

How to Survive a Bad Day - The MuseHow to Survive a Bad Day Lousy days happen to all of us. Even a seemingly harmless wake-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-bed morning can send you into a funk. No matter how many happiness hacks or positive mantras you try to make it better, it can be hard to shake your grouchiness and glass-half-empty attitude. And when a bad mood follows you to work, it can amplify all sorts of everyday annoyances and frustrations. Now, perhaps youre not able to hold it together in front of your babo when she criticizes your report. Or youre more prone to raise your voice at the intern when he makes copies in black and white instead of color like you asked. And you make absent-minded mistakes, like distractedly sending the wrong version of a document to a client. Ugh. While none of ansicht are career-ending mistakes, their effects can leave you feeling down on yourself for days. Whatever the situation, you know you need to turn it around as soon as possible. To help you do that, here are a few tips for turning a really, really bad day into a better tomorrow.1. Identify the Real ProblemIn the middle of a bad day, youre prone to making blanket statements like, I feel so stupid or Nothing is going according to plan. But pause your catastrophic thinking, and take a moment to identify the emotions behind those thoughts. Are you angry with a client? Disappointed with yourself? It may sound simple, but applying a label to the emotion youre experiencing can discharge its hold on you and equip you to overcome the negative feelings. When youre flustered, your mind is cluttered, but research shows that putting your feelings into words can put the brakes on your emotional response and help you process the situation from a more rational, calm perspective. A thought becomes simply a thought an emotion just an emotion. For example, I keep messing up at work, and Im so frustrated with myself becomes Im having the thought that Im not doing enough at work, and Im f eeling frustration because of it. This mindfulness practice has been shown to improve behavior and problem solving.2. Cancel the Pity anlassWhen youre having a bad day, your decision-making skills are hijacked, so avoid rash action. Read Dont hit happy hour to drink your bad day away or delete the gigantic PowerPoint thats been the source of your frustration. Instead, allow yourself a set amount of time to wallow, be angry, or be sad, and then move on. For example, give yourself the morning to emotionally work through whatever is gnawing at your last nerve, but commit to coming back strong after lunch. If you cant turn it around that quickly, listen to the advice sleep on it. Sometimes, choosing to end one day and start fresh the next is the most powerful cure for a bad day. 3. Find Comfort Through ConnectionWhen youre having a bad day, its easy to self-sabotage- like wallowing alone. But resist the urge to isolate. We all have that one buddy who puts a smile on our face, no matter what, so see if you can arrange a quick coffee date with this person- or, if he or she lives far away, send an schmelzglas or text. Reaching out to a friend and finding empathy in his or her response can have a comforting effect and help you feel accepted (bad days, grouchy moods, and all). Plus, it can be a great opportunity to ask for advice or a second opinion if youre facing a thorny situation at work. If you dont feel like explaining the situation to a friend, try reading PostSecret or your favorite blog. Even those virtual connections can help you feel understood and reminds you that youre not alone- other people go through similar things every day. 4. Pay it ForwardDoing something to help others is a win-win- even if your primary intention is to lift your own mood and make you feel better. Need ideas? Offer to mentor an a new intern at the office, help an elderly person in your building carry heavy bags, or finally donate to the charity youve been thinking about getting invol ved with. Not only will you be helping someone else, but youll be able to take the focus off of yourself, which can put your bad day in perspective. In fact, having this kind of giving attitude is key to being successful. Generosity helps elevate your reputation to multiply other peoples successes, making you indispensible, management expert Adam Grant explains. So, find ways to help your co-workers, put more effort into answering emails, and, in general, make yourself a resource to others. 5. Take Care of Yourself, But Dont Over-IndulgeIn theory, treating yourself sounds nice after a day when nothings gone right, but its actually the worst time to indulge. When your judgement is compromised, you could end up overdoing it, whether that means eating a few too many sweet treats or buying a $300 pair of shoes that definitely arent in your budget. In the moment, it may make you feel great- but when its time to pay your credit card bill, youll likely be overcome by guilt and end up feeli ng even worse. Instead of looking for a surface-level cure when you feel awful, ask yourself what you can learn from your feelings and implement a plan for change.Weve all heard the old saying that its not how many times you fall down, its that you find the strength to get back up. When you find yourself in a deep funk, keep in mind that horrible days happen to everyone- and they dont make you any less valuable of a person or employee. A little perspective, along with these tips, can help you bounce back next time one of those days happens to you.