How to Cheer Up After a Bad Day
Give yourself a specific task or chore., Leave your work at work., Get out of the house., Take a nap, or go to bed early., Disconnect from social media., Read a book or watch a movie.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Give yourself a specific task or chore.
Maybe there’s a certain chore you’ve been putting off for a while, like that stack of laundry in the closet, or maybe there are some dishes in the sink that need washing.
Give yourself a specific task and focus on it while you do it.Try playing music while you clean or work on a task.
This will give you something to listen to and focus on while you work, rather than letting your thoughts wander back to what was bothering you initially.
Cleaning and keeping things organized can actually improve your overall mental health, with some added physical health benefits as well.
Getting rid of clutter and messes can help reduce stress, which is something important to do when you’ve already had a bad day. -
Step 2: Leave your work at work.
Many people have the habit of bringing the stresses and problems of work home with them each day.
One way to help cheer yourself up after a bad day, especially if work was the cause, is to leave those stresses and irritants behind when you leave the workplace.Be present in the moment.
Rather than focusing or dwelling on things that happened at work, let them go with a few deep breaths and center yourself in the current moment.
Acknowledge that you are letting go of those problems, and that you will deal with them when you return to work.
Use your commute home as a way to disconnect from work.
Rather than just going about your usual way, take care to notice things you might not normally notice, like the scenery on your commute, the weather, or the sunset.
Acknowledge the outside world on the way home rather than getting trapped inside your head and dwelling. , Run an errand, go for a walk, take the dog out, or even take a drive.
Being outdoors is especially helpful when trying to boost a bad mood, so pick something outside to do, if the weather is appropriate.It can be tempting to just stay in the house and wallow in your bad mood after a bad day, but forcing yourself to leave that temptation behind can help you beat that mood.
Go out, be around people, and distract yourself with things to do and accomplish. , When you were a kid, your parents probably put you to bed when you got cranky.
It’s not that different once you’re grown up.
Getting more sleep can help improve your mood.
When you don’t get enough rest, you might notice that you’re more irritable or quick to get upset over small things.
Lack of sleep may have even contributed to the bad day you had.
Taking a short nap or opting to go to bed a little earlier than usual might help you balance back out and get the rest your body needs to feel better and happier.
Stress or bad moods can sometimes lead to making sleep more difficult, so if you find you’re having trouble going to sleep at night, try taking a small dose (1-3mg) of melatonin.
Melatonin is a chemical naturally produced by your body to help you fall asleep, and you can buy it in supplement form at your local drug store., In this day and age, most people are practically glued to their social media accounts via their smartphones, tablets, and computers.
It’s easy to end up feeling worse about yourself or your bad day when you see your friends and acquaintances posting happy news or photos on your feeds.
Disconnect from these feeds and give yourself a little detox from it.Understand that you can’t take everything you see on social media at face value.
Most of what people choose to post gives a glorified image of what their life really is.
They have bad days just like you do—it’s just harder to see that via posts on social media geared to show off the better aspects of their lives.
Social media has a tendency to get some people’s blood pumping.
You might notice that you get easily irritated by politically charged, blatantly rude, or ignorant social media posts.
If you are already in a bad mood, viewing these posts could only make it worse.
Disconnect and take a break. , Using books or movies can be helpful in distracting your mind from whatever is bothering you.
If you lose yourself in the world of a book, movie, or television show, you will be focused on what’s happening in that world, rather than in your own.Try to pick a movie or television show that is comedic or funny, rather than choosing a drama.
Laughing at a funny movie or show is a great way to boost your mood.
Scientifically, laughter has profound physical effects on your brain and perceptions.
Letting yourself enjoy some humor can really help you cheer up.Reading a book can not only help distract you from whatever is on your mind, but it can also lead to a sense of accomplishment once you finish it.
It’s so easy to start a book and never finish it, but finally finishing one can give you a little boost in mood. -
Step 3: Get out of the house.
-
Step 4: Take a nap
-
Step 5: or go to bed early.
-
Step 6: Disconnect from social media.
-
Step 7: Read a book or watch a movie.
Detailed Guide
Maybe there’s a certain chore you’ve been putting off for a while, like that stack of laundry in the closet, or maybe there are some dishes in the sink that need washing.
Give yourself a specific task and focus on it while you do it.Try playing music while you clean or work on a task.
This will give you something to listen to and focus on while you work, rather than letting your thoughts wander back to what was bothering you initially.
Cleaning and keeping things organized can actually improve your overall mental health, with some added physical health benefits as well.
Getting rid of clutter and messes can help reduce stress, which is something important to do when you’ve already had a bad day.
Many people have the habit of bringing the stresses and problems of work home with them each day.
One way to help cheer yourself up after a bad day, especially if work was the cause, is to leave those stresses and irritants behind when you leave the workplace.Be present in the moment.
Rather than focusing or dwelling on things that happened at work, let them go with a few deep breaths and center yourself in the current moment.
Acknowledge that you are letting go of those problems, and that you will deal with them when you return to work.
Use your commute home as a way to disconnect from work.
Rather than just going about your usual way, take care to notice things you might not normally notice, like the scenery on your commute, the weather, or the sunset.
Acknowledge the outside world on the way home rather than getting trapped inside your head and dwelling. , Run an errand, go for a walk, take the dog out, or even take a drive.
Being outdoors is especially helpful when trying to boost a bad mood, so pick something outside to do, if the weather is appropriate.It can be tempting to just stay in the house and wallow in your bad mood after a bad day, but forcing yourself to leave that temptation behind can help you beat that mood.
Go out, be around people, and distract yourself with things to do and accomplish. , When you were a kid, your parents probably put you to bed when you got cranky.
It’s not that different once you’re grown up.
Getting more sleep can help improve your mood.
When you don’t get enough rest, you might notice that you’re more irritable or quick to get upset over small things.
Lack of sleep may have even contributed to the bad day you had.
Taking a short nap or opting to go to bed a little earlier than usual might help you balance back out and get the rest your body needs to feel better and happier.
Stress or bad moods can sometimes lead to making sleep more difficult, so if you find you’re having trouble going to sleep at night, try taking a small dose (1-3mg) of melatonin.
Melatonin is a chemical naturally produced by your body to help you fall asleep, and you can buy it in supplement form at your local drug store., In this day and age, most people are practically glued to their social media accounts via their smartphones, tablets, and computers.
It’s easy to end up feeling worse about yourself or your bad day when you see your friends and acquaintances posting happy news or photos on your feeds.
Disconnect from these feeds and give yourself a little detox from it.Understand that you can’t take everything you see on social media at face value.
Most of what people choose to post gives a glorified image of what their life really is.
They have bad days just like you do—it’s just harder to see that via posts on social media geared to show off the better aspects of their lives.
Social media has a tendency to get some people’s blood pumping.
You might notice that you get easily irritated by politically charged, blatantly rude, or ignorant social media posts.
If you are already in a bad mood, viewing these posts could only make it worse.
Disconnect and take a break. , Using books or movies can be helpful in distracting your mind from whatever is bothering you.
If you lose yourself in the world of a book, movie, or television show, you will be focused on what’s happening in that world, rather than in your own.Try to pick a movie or television show that is comedic or funny, rather than choosing a drama.
Laughing at a funny movie or show is a great way to boost your mood.
Scientifically, laughter has profound physical effects on your brain and perceptions.
Letting yourself enjoy some humor can really help you cheer up.Reading a book can not only help distract you from whatever is on your mind, but it can also lead to a sense of accomplishment once you finish it.
It’s so easy to start a book and never finish it, but finally finishing one can give you a little boost in mood.
About the Author
Jacqueline Flores
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: