SELF-CARE: 5 Easy Ways to Practice Self-Care When You’re Having a Bad Day + FREE Self-Care Time Hacker

We all have bad days, right?

You know, the type of day when…

…you get stuck in traffic and miss your morning meeting.

…your dishwasher suddenly breaks down and you need to wash ALL of your dishes by hand.

…your kids seem determined to push EVERY one of your buttons.

I certainly had many of those days and some of them affected me more than others.

However, what I realized over the years is that we do not have to be the victims to our life circumstances and that we are in charge of how we choose to see the world and respond to it.

So instead of focusing on the negative life circumstance we have an option to enjoy part of the day or at least not feel weighed down by the bad thing that had happened.

Wouldn’t it feel great if the same thing could happen to YOU?

Wouldn’t it be awesome if that fight with your mom didn’t have to ruin your date or if a bad day at work didn’t have to stop you from enjoying your Friday evening with your partner and kids?

Well, it doesn’t have to just be a fantasy. Because in this blog post, I’m going to share 5 super easy self-care practices that you can use to turn a bad day around.

I’ve really made it a point to choose the practices that require the least amount of time, energy, and planning to do. Because I know that when you’re having a bad day, finding the motivation to do even the smallest task can feel like a BIG mission.

So let’s keep things simple and jump right into talking about what you can do to take care of yourself on a bad day and turn it around.

Here we go!

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Give Yourself Space To Feel

One simple self-care practice that you can use on a bad day is to simply give yourself space to feel what you’re feeling.

Are you frustrated because you spent a lot of time writing something up and your computer didn’t save the file? Let yourself feel frustrated.

Are you sad because your teen wants to spend the afternoon with friends instead of with you? Give yourself space to feel sad.

Or are you disappointed because your partner has to cancel your date night because they have a work emergency? Allow yourself to feel disappointed.

If you’re feeling frustrated, sad, disappointed, or any other negative emotion, it’s important to give yourself space to feel the emotion instead of trying to ignore or suppress it. After all, your feelings are valid, and they can give you valuable information about why an experience is difficult for you or isn’t sitting right with you. They can also help you learn more about your needs and how you might want to change certain choices or actions in the future.

That said, it’s important to avoid sitting in your feelings for too long. You don’t want to let the negative emotions or thoughts simmer and start to negatively affect other parts of your life, such as your relationships, work, and leisure time. Allowing yourself to sit in your feelings for too long can also stop you from taking steps to overcome the negative experience you’ve had and feel better.

Eat and Hydrate

Eating and drinking water are such basic daily tasks that you might not think of them as self-care.

But the reality is that what you put into your body can affect how you feel not only physically but also psychologically. Plus, it’s much easier to cope with a negative experience or stressor when you aren’t hungry or dehydrated.

That’s why one of the best things you can do for yourself on a bad day is to eat and hydrate. Clean, healthy meals can give you the fuel you need to navigate a challenging day without making your blood sugar (and your energy levels) spike and then crash. So if you’ve got healthy food in your pantry or are up for a trip to the grocery store, focus on nourishing yourself primarily with healthy meals and snacks.

Of course, there’s also nothing wrong with treating yourself (in moderation, of course!) as a way to try to turn your day around. So if you’ve got a favorite snack, coffee shop drink, or restaurant meal, feel free to indulge in it. Sometimes enjoying a food or drink you love can be just the thing to take your mind off of the day you’ve had so far. And if you decide to order in for dinner or get takeout, you’ll also be able to take a night off from cooking and have one less thing to worry about for the rest of the day.

Take A Bath or Shower

Another easy self-care practice that you can use on a bad day is to jump in the bath or shower. After all, warm water works wonders for helping you unwind after a difficult day. Plus, if you’re the type of person who develops tense muscles when you’re stressed (yup, that’s me!), the warm water from a bath or shower can also provide some much-needed physical relief.

Again, because you’re used to taking baths or showers on a regular basis, they might not seem like something that would move the needle much on your mood. But the truth is that even small pleasures can make the world of a difference when you’re having a challenging day. And it doesn’t take much to turn an ordinary bath or shower into a special one.

For example, if you’re taking a bath, you can easily elevate the experience by throwing in some bath salts you love, putting on your favorite music, lighting some candles, or even carefully positioning your laptop or tablet so that you can binge watch a show at the same time.

What if you only have time for a shower? Make it more than just your average shower by using a special body wash or shower gel, applying a body scrub, or rubbing in a luxurious body lotion after you get out. You might find that even the scent of your favorite bath products is enough to boost your mood.

Get Some Extra Sleep

If you’re having a bad day, there’s a good chance that you feel more exhausted than usual. So why not kill two birds with one stone by getting some extra sleep or rest?

If you’re a napper or could simply use a little snooze today, try taking a short nap to recharge your batteries and take a break from the worries of your day for a while. Your nap doesn’t have to be long—even just 20 minutes can make a huge difference to how you feel physically and psychologically.

Of course, not everyone is a napper. And if you don’t have anywhere to sleep or it’s too late in the day, napping might not be an option. In this case, you can catch some extra sleep by going to bed early. Again, you don’t have to go to bed wildly early. Getting even just an extra 30 minutes of sleep at night can be restorative and help you wake up feeling more prepared to tackle life the next day.

Now, I know that when you’re having a bad day or dealing with something stressful, it can actually be harder than usual to fall and stay asleep—even if your body is tired. In this case, remember that even just lying down and doing breathing exercises or meditation can give your body some helpful extra rest.

Get Outside

Another great way to turn a bad day around with some simple self-care is to head outside.

Spending time outside might seem like a great way to take your mind off of whatever negative or stressful event you’ve experienced during the day. But the self-care benefits of being outdoors actually go much deeper because spending time in nature has been shown to be restorative. Specifically, it can…

• lower stress
• boost your mood
• improve focus and concentration
• reduce irritability
• lower blood pressure
• increase the production of feel-good hormones

So the next time that you’re having a bad day, head outside. Take a walk around the block, head to a local park and sit on a bench, or even just stand on your porch for a few minutes.

Simply taking a few moments to breathe in some fresh air, soak up some vitamin D, or hear the sound of rustling leaves can help you collect your thoughts, feel calmer, and put your worries in perspective.

On A Bad Day (Or Any Day), Self-Care Can Be Super Simple

It’s impossible to avoid challenging days altogether. After all, it’s only going to be a matter of time before you experience another day where something stressful happens or something doesn’t go the way you wanted it to.

But what you CAN do is limit the impact that a bad day can have on you (and maybe even turn it around). This way, you can salvage the parts of your day that are still to come. And you can prevent whatever happened from leading you to snap at your partner, be so distracted that you burn dinner, or be too upset to enjoy your kid’s school concert.

And as I shared above, practicing self-care on a challenging day (or any day for that matter), doesn’t have to be hard, time consuming, or resource intensive. In fact, you can take care of yourself just by doing something that you’d normally do as part of your day—but just in a slightly different or more intentional way.

Remember, self-care doesn’t have to mean clearing a whole afternoon to get a massage or go on a hike. Even simple daily activities that you can do for short periods of time right in or around your home can help you catch your breath, regroup, and boost your mood.

Of course, it’s great to make time to take care of yourself when you’re having a bad day or experiencing something challenging.

But you don’t need to wait to have a bad day to practice self-care. In fact, you’re more likely to feel happy, limit your stress, and navigate challenging situations more effectively if you practice self-care on a regular basis.

That’s why I’ve created a FREE resource for you called the Self-Care Time Hacker.

It’ll help you carve out time for self-care on a regular basis so that you can face daily stressors and negative experiences without letting them derail your entire day.

And if you haven’t done so already, follow me on my Facebook page Vera Velini – The Assertive Happiness Coach. That way, you’ll be among the first to hear about new blog posts, resources, and courses.

Until next time!
Vera

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