1. Prioritise…

Whether you’ve slept fine or spent the whole night awake, bad days are so draining. Everything takes a lot more effort than it would on an average day, so don’t try to give yourself a mammoth list of things to do. Prioritize anything important, and cut out anything that isn’t 100% necessary, or can’t wait. Number what’s left, and tackle them in order. This is definitely one of my favorite ways to make a bad day better – it helps every time.

2. Don’t Think of Others…

Have you ever been told to think of people less fortunate when you are having a bad day? While it’s meant to be helpful, the vast majority of the time it is not. If you are sulking over something ridiculous, perhaps a sharp shock will help, but otherwise, don’t think of people less fortunate. It won’t help – you’ll just end up feeling worse about your bad day. And that helps nobody.

3. Make Your Mind Smile…

Make it as easy as possible for your mind to break through the sadness and experience some joy. Encouraging endorphin production might be all it takes to turn your bad day around! Play your favorite song, regardless of how sad you feel. Happy music is likely to break the mood, whilst sad music is just likely to sink you further into depression. Nobody needs “Everybody Hurts” while they are actually hurting.

4. Hit the Treadmill…

Okay, so on most bad days, I’d rather stay in my pyjamas than get dressed, and exercising is absolutely out of the question. It shouldn’t be, though. Not only does exercise release endorphins that are almost certain to boost your mood, you’ll feel a sense of achievement that can help too. You can even take out the mood on the treadmill/road/ball, and sculpt that energy into a toned body.

5. Cuddle Something…

Cats and dogs are great for bad days. They simply ignore them, and carry on demanding food/attention/back scratches. Half an hour playing with a fluffy pet is a great way to boost your mood, and most people will be willing to let you play with (read tire out!) their pet if you don’t have your own.

6. Be Nice…

Bad moods are contagious. All it takes is snapping at someone else, and you’ve spread it on. And let’s face it, it’s easily done – people can seem so annoying when your day sucks. Instead of being abrasive, try to be nice. It might be the boost you need to kick the bad mood. If it’s out of the question, isolate yourself until you feel better. It’s much more acceptable to be antisocial for a while than to be rude!

7. Seek Warmth…

I don’t mean by going on holiday, although that would be a great way to turn a bad mood around! Yale University found that people who regularly drink hot drinks and take hot baths were happier than those who shower and don’t consume many hot drinks. So next time your day starts rubbishly, grab a coffee or hot chocolate. If it doesn’t turn around, try a hot bath with a gorgeous bath lotion. Your mood will melt away with the bubbles.

There is a whole host of advice for people suffering from a bad day, from taking it easy to avoiding shops to prevent emotional spending; and whether you take the advice or not, the sheer amount of it makes you feel much less alone! Do you know ways to make a bad day better? I’d love to hear what works for you!