Kelly is a mother, runner, writer, designer and serial entrepreneur. She is also a reformed over-committer and believes that a busy life need not be a stressful life. She blogs about all this and more at A Life Less Frantic.
5 ways to rescue a really bad day
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Yesterday I woke up in a funk. You know, one of those lovely hormone induced moods where you want to cry for no reason and have zero ability to cope with … anything. My husband took one look at me, gave me a hug, then threw our child in the car and high-tailed it to the safety of the office and day-care. Bless his little cotton socks.
As I sat on the couch overwhelmed by the desire to go straight back to bed and stay there the whole day, it occurred to me that my friend Google must have some ideas for rescuing my day. And sure enough, Google came to the party.
1. Fight hormones with hormones
We all know what endorphins are right? They’re the happy hormones, the ones that get released when we exercise. They are the reason why we always feel awesome after exercising even if the during bit isn’t that fun. Google says to go for a walk because not only is it is gentle activity that releases the happy hormones, it also means you can add some music into the mix. We all know which songs on our iPods provide an instant mood lift!
2. Have some chocolate
Did you know that eating dark chocolate improves blood flow to the brain? Not only that, it is a genuine mood elevator for most people so why not enjoy a few guilt free squares with a cup of coffee or tea. Which segues neatly to …
3. Brew a pot of tea
The simple act of making a pot of tea is very calming as it has an almost ritualistic feel to it. Not only that, tea contains L-theanine which is said to be a unique anxiety reducer and mood enhancer. So clear some mental space, get out the tea pot and get brewing!
4. Light a candle
I think there is no simpler way to give the pleasure centres of your brain a little boost than by lighting a scented candle. Candles simultaneously evoke calm and luxury and tell your brain that your pampering yourself. Citrus scents are said to be the best for lifting flagging spirits but honestly, I have found any scent that I particularly love (hello vanilla!) will put a smile on my face.
5. De-clutter something
I am going to go out on a limb here and say there is nothing quite as satisfying than a bit of de-cluttering. Choose something that has been bugging you for a while – the plastics cupboard, ‘that’ drawer in the kitchen, or that countertop where everything gets dumped – and get to work. For a small time commitment, de-cluttering provides very tangible rewards and if it doesn’t boost your mood, then you are in a bad way indeed!
Which leads me to … when all else fails
Sometimes, no matter what you do, you can’t pull yourself out of your funk. In those situations I think the best thing to do is to admit ‘defeat’ and retire graciously to bed with a good book. The best thing about bad moods is that they can pretty much ALWAYS be conquered by a good dose of shut-eye.
How do you shake off a bad day?
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