Do you ever have those days when you feel unwell? 

You might feel, low energy, unmotivated, sad… Or any combination of the more uncomfortable emotions.  And sometimes, a rough day can extend into a rough week.

That was my experience this past week. I was feeling really down and off. But, luckily, I discovered a simple strategy that helped me work through it!

Sometimes, external factors can cause me to feel down, and sometimes I feel off for seemingly no reason. If you are anything like me, all you want on those days is something to make you feel better. 

While feeling off is fine and normal, it is important to know the tools that help you move through those feelings.

I wanted to share this simple tip to help you get through a rough day (or week).

This strategy is based on the concept of “Do the next right thing.” 

Pick one thing to focus on for the day.

When you feel bad for any reason, you need to simplify your life. Stop putting pressure on yourself to be your 100% best and most productive when you aren’t feeling it. That just sets you up for failure, which can make you spiral more.

Instead of struggling through a lengthy to-do list, pick one task to focus on for the day. Put your energy into completing that task.

This is especially helpful if you juggle multiple projects like I do. 

Committing to one task gives you something to concentrate on, so you can take a break from everything swirling through your mind.

For example, on one of the days I was feeling particularly overwhelmed, I knew I needed to give myself a sense of direction. So, I told myself all I needed to focus on was completing a UGC video I was working on. That was my intention for the day. This gave me a direction and a sense of purpose that helped me move forward.

“It’s way easier to make consistent progress on a tiny number of things than to make inconsistent progress on a large number of things.” – Ali Abdaal

To give another example, my parents came to visit me this weekend. I knew I had unfinished work (including this blog post) and didn’t feel like I could fully relax and stay present with them.

I was in my head and dwelling on my emotions. This is not the ideal state of mind for spending time with my family. 

In order to enjoy this visit with my parents, I had to choose to let go of my worries and ground myself. I know that letting your worries go is a lot easier said than done, so I wanted to share some mindset tips that can help you get out of your head.

Mindset Tips to Help You Get Through a Rough Day

Remember Your Values

Depending on the situation, thinking about your values can help you gain some perspective. In my example, it was hard to let go of worrying about my unfinished to-do list items. But, I checked in with myself and remembered that I value spending time with my parents more than worrying. 

Sometimes, when we get too caught up in our thoughts, we forget what actually matters to us. Checking in with your values can help you get out of that negative thought cycle. This can help you refocus on what is important to you.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Journal Prompts to Remember Your Values

◇What are my values?

◇What is most important to me?

◇What is making me feel stuck?

◇What can I do today to honor my values?

Setting aside time each day to reflect can help you remain aligned with your values. Check out this blog post for more Journal Prompts to Reflect and Connect With The Highest Version of Yourself.

Give Yourself Permission to Feel Better

I recognize that I can be hard on myself at times. I know I have a false belief that worrying about work is productive (I’m working through this). So sometimes what I need most is to tell myself it’s okay to let go of whatever I’m worrying about. 

It might sound overly simplistic, but this mindset shift has made a big difference in my life. So it’s just something to think about.

Many people struggle with self-criticism. So I want to give you a friendly reminder that practicing self-compassion is actually more effective (and feels much better) for helping you improve your life. To learn more about how self-compassion can help you in your personal development journey, read this blog post about Compassionate Self-Discipline.

If feelings like guilt and unworthiness hinder your self-compassion, recognizing its effectiveness for your success can make a huge difference! Now that I realize that treating myself compassionately makes me more likely to succeed, it only makes sense to practice self-compassion!

More Helpful Resources

These blog posts offer even more simple tips you can implement to feel your best!

Are You Stuck in a Rut? 12 Tips to Reset Your Mind and Turn Your Life Around

That Girl Habits | 18 Simple Daily/Weekly Habits To Be Your Best Self

Positive Results

These are some positive benefits of using this strategy to get through a rough day.

◇Focusing on one task at a time can help you feel less overwhelmed.

◇When you don’t feel a sense of purpose, it can put you in a rut. But dedicating yourself to a specific objective can give you that sense of purpose.

◇Finishing the task can give you a sense of accomplishment and create momentum to get you moving forward in a positive direction.

All of this helps to boost your self-confidence, get you out of your funk, and allow you to move forward.

I hope this tip helps you! You can try this out next time you go through a rough day. Leave a comment to let me know if you have your own strategies for moving through a rough day. Make sure to sign up for my email list to get notified of new blog posts with tips to help you live your best life.

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