Ugh, having a bad day at work and wondering how to get through it? We are here to help.
No matter how passionate you are about your job, bad days are inevitable. Being assigned to a task with an unreasonable deadline, getting lectured for slight errors, or even fuming about something offensive a coworker said, all these bad moments could easily destroy your mood for the whole day.
Feeling upset about your job does not necessarily mean you hate your job; you are probably just exhausted. Such a feeling is totally normal, but it can lead to serious consequences if left unaddressed. If you want to distract yourself from the situation and lighten up the mood, here are some effective ways to overcome a bad day at work.
Many jobs require you to spend a significant amount of time looking at a screen, and after a particularly difficult day at work, the last thing you need is more screen time. The screen produces blue light, which can impede melatonin release. Melatonin is a hormone that assists you in becoming (and staying) asleep. As a result, if you do not get enough sleep at night, you will not have a better day at work the next day.
According to a recent study, those who spent more time in front of screens had lower levels of pleasure and well-being. So, when you return home after a long day, it’s a good idea to unplug from the screen for a while. Some activities you can do off the screen include playing music, baking cakes, cooking meals, crocheting, and many other hobbies that do not involve screen.
2. Do fun physical activities
Another tried-and-true way for recovering from a difficult day at work is getting your body to move. Doing a physical activity offers you something to focus on and it allows you to release negative energy. Getting engaged in physical activities has been scientifically shown to make you feel better. When you exercise, your body produces a number of neurotransmitters that serve to boost and regulate your mood, such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and endorphins.
You do not have to perform a heavy workout that can lead you to physical exhaustion the next day. A study suggests that even a short simple workout can improve your mood. To make it more fun, you can do this through the short workout challenge easily found in Instagram Reels and TikTok. Although this short workout challenge may last only for 15 seconds or half a minute, you will need to do a couple of video takes before getting the perfect video shot. In the end, you will actually move a lot without even noticing it, as you have fun doing it!
Read Also: What You Need to Know About Sabbatical Leave
3. Find joy in entertainment
If you do not really find joy in hobbies off-screen and physical activities, you can overcome bad days at work through digital entertainment. This does not necessarily involve laptops, as digital entertainment can also be in the form of PlayStation (PS) and Xbox. However, if you do not fancy those two, you can still use a laptop to find entertainment. As much as it reminds you of work, try also to see your laptop as a means of entertainment. If you enjoy gaming, there are plenty of games you can play on your laptop or PC and if you are lucky, Steam often gives discounts for premium games.
If you still find it exhausting to look at your laptop screen, you can opt for mobile-based games like Mobile Legends, PUBG, Genshin Impact, and many more. Not a fan of games? No worries. Subscribe to Netflix, HBO Go, Viu, or other streaming applications so you can enjoy premium TV series and movies to relieve your stress.
4. Get some proper rest
If you have a bad mood from work and feel so tired, the answer is probably clear that you need a good rest. This does not simply mean a 5 to 6 hours of sleep after a long day of work and overtime. You need to have enough sleeping time at night, at least 7 to 8 hours, so you can start your morning with a fresher mood. The key is to limit yourself from staying up too late at night for unimportant activities. If you think it is not enough, consult the HR department and file for a short leave for a couple of days. Use these days off to ‘hit the reset button’ and dedicate time to nurture yourself with proper rest.
5. Fake it ‘till you make it
A bad day at work, obviously, may put you in a bad place mentally. When unpleasant things happen, it is indeed normal to be irritated, sad, and upset. If none of the previous recommendations help you snap out of it, maybe it is time to fake it until you make it. Do you realize you have more power over your mind than you think you do? While it sounds impossible, research has shown that smiling can put you in a better mood, thus improving how you feel throughout the day at work.
Bad days are never pleasant, and hopefully, your bad days at work do not occur on a regular basis. All you need is the suitable activity to overcome a bad day at work. Now that you have a few options for dealing with a terrible day at work, you are more prepared to deal with one if it ever happens again.
Read Also: What to Do When You Feel Overwhelmed at Work
